I was blessed with the opportunity this past weekend to catch a couple of long stretches of alone time. Which is an extremely rare thing in a home with four young children! With laundry caught up, no one needing my care, an already clean house, and client projects on track, I sat for a moment realizing that for the first time in a very long time, I was left with only myself. To do whatever I wanted. What is this?! What did I want to do? Surely I should spend this luxurious time being productive! Or what if I shouldn’t?  

I ended up working a bit (yes, I am a firm believer that when you love what you do, working on the weekends can be a really good thing!), writing, spending quiet time outside in nature, reading, exercising, and enjoying a fantastic dinner with my husband at one of our favorite spots. All things that feed my soul! 

But the most beautiful part of this experience was that with this extra space and essentially no responsibilities, I found myself.  

Deciding how I would use this gift of time alone, I had to check in and know what things I really love to do. What makes me feel good? Could I actually be comfortable with this freedom? I had to know myself and what choices were best for me. 

It was during this time that I finally, truly realized the importance of solitude.  

So often our responsibilities and to-do lists take over every moment of our days. We get lost in the tasks and “shoulds”. I talk a lot about the beauty of being yourself in your business. But how do you know who that person is? Because it goes much deeper than purely the work that you do and your bigger purpose. It’s just as much about the small things. Like what you love to do in your free time. Or what book you’re reading now. Or what your favorite indulgences are.   

I’ve been talking to a lot of powerful women in business recently, who are building their brands and feeling stuck because they deliver a service… where is the separation between them as a business owner and them as an individual? Are they actually their brand?  

Yes, and no.  

Being yourself in business is essential to running an authentic company. Your essence and vision informs the company branding. But you, the individual, are so much MORE than this company.  This business you’ve built, is just one piece of who you are. I wonder how often you have time to explore who you truly are outside of your business? Do you ever find the stillness within you and sit there for a while? 

As a mom and business owner, there are few times in my current season of life where I’m presented with the bliss of solitude. Where there is nothing to do and no one to care for in that moment. But when I do have those moments, the stillness reminds me that we do indeed create these lives of ours. All of the to-do lists, and responsibilities are created by our choices.  

And if we’re running on autopilot and not being intentional with our choices, we stop one day to find that we’re not entirely sure who we really are as an individual.  

Life is precious. And today I am grateful for solitude. Because the silence offers an opportunity to see the beauty that lies quietly within. What’s your soul whispering? Create some time in your schedule to find out. It’s one of the most grounding acts of self-love that you can do for yourself.