I was in a bit of a panic this morning. I couldn’t think of what to write in this month’s MMMU! I’m sitting here at my desk, wracking my brain, and my little black cat, Swing, decides that she wants some attention.
If you have a cat, you know that their reputation of being standoffish is only half of the story. When they want attention, they are relentless. I gave up and let her into my lap, all the while thinking, “But I need some inspiration!”
It just so happens that in giving myself a few minutes to scratch her behind her ears, I found my idea. This stretch of August seem to be a no-(wo)man’s land for many professionals. We don’t know whether to go and play in the summer sun, work harder to catch up while everyone else is playing, plan for the fall and the end of the year, or all of the above. I see this play out in the annual barrage of articles online telling you what to do at this time of year.
Here’s my thought: You already know what you need to be doing right now. Your inner voice will let you know the best path, if you give yourself a moment to listen to it. Just like a cat pawing at your leg, your intuition can point you in the right direction. The trick is to pause for a moment, and give yourself five minutes to unpack what it’s trying to tell you.
Before you disengage from work or double-down this week, take a few moments, pay attention to the little voice in your head, and then, maybe, listen to it.