It’s really happening. The reality of working for myself is settling in clearly now.

For all of my friends who make their living generally between the hours of 8:00AM and 5:00PM Monday through Friday – you know the feeling you get on Sunday afternoons. The feeling that in a few hours, your short break from work is over. The feeling that you hope your calendar isn’t too crammed with difficult conversations and tasks right away on Monday because you would rather sit with a cup of good coffee and organize your thoughts after having a wonderful weekend with family and friends. The feeling of steeling your heart as you wait for the inevitable politics to start diminishing your effectiveness. That feeling that you shoog Post!  uld have worked over the weekend to make it a better Monday than it has been lately.  I don’t know; maybe that was just how I felt on Sunday in the late afternoon.

We made a trip up to the cabin this past weekend – a nice long visit focused on construction of our little bunkhouse. Usually, as we drive back – that feeling creeps back into my consciousness and I avoid looking at my emails until we get home, unpacked, settled into Sunday Night television – just because I’m not ready.  Yesterday, when that impulse hit me, I realized the situation had changed. Instead of dreading the emails in my Inbox  – I grabbed my computer immediately when we got home Sunday afternoon and happily refreshed my inbox – and I was thankful to see correspondences from new contacts and former colleagues! The idea of being grateful to see new emails only reinforces that there is a different way of life out there for me.

Waking up to a completely free Monday was no less than liberating and soul lifting. A whole day where I choose activities that will bring me personal and professional value. It’s not about playing or being on vacation, it’s really about a new approach to earning a living.   Today, I chose to get on my scooter and cogitate on some Big Ideas I’ve had.

I bought this beauty a couple of years ago and have already put 2,000 miles on it. Not just going for fun rides, but for everyday errands, and to the office. I do that because it makes me happy and makes me feel connected to my community. This morning, I took my scooter on some errands and slowly made my way through my little town of Robbinsdale. I stopped in at local businesses that I had passed by in favor of a big box. I bought meat from Hackenmuellers Butcher Shop. I stopped and chatted with a customer from Paeonia Florist – he wanted to tell me about how much he liked riding a scooter when he was younger.

That’s the kind of stimulation I need to unlock the creative part of my brain. Meet new people, have conversations that are not driven by anything other than a willingness to chat. Nothing to gain or lose from anyone. While working in a large organization means you have lots of BFF’s, the chances of having a truly stimulating conversation with a complete stranger are very low.

The definition of success is changing for me. Instead of just going through the motions and scheduling the next meeting or creating the next slide that communicates complex information effectively, I’m thinking about impact to my neighborhood. How can I make my community a better place? Today’s scooter ride helped me focus on one of my big questions – who shall I serve? I parked in the garage feeling even more inspired than when I started my day. In fact,

I eagerly refreshed my inbox and found a few more notes from friends and contacts.

How cool is that for a different kind of Monday?  I’m sure it won’t always feel this fresh and this liberating. I know there will be plenty of hard work for me ahead and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to try. I can’t wait to see what this week holds in store for me!