Sabbatical 2023: A Moment of Stillness

In April 2023, I made the decision to take a short break. After years of nonstop movement, career climbing, building businesses and showing up for everyone else, I chose to show up for myself by stepping away from my full-time job and part-time consulting. 

What started as a three month plan for rest evolved into a six month sabbatical that redefined how I view stillness. This isn’t a “I quit my job and became a millionaire” story; although I love those stories. This is a real, grounded, liberating account of what happens when you make space to breathe, be still, and let life unfold without a checklist. I believe everyone deserves their version of pause.

From Plan to Presence

It was April 2023, I decided I needed a break. I reviewed my financial resources and mapped out a strategy. My carefully crafted timeline consisted of me taking a three month break. My plan was to leave my job after completing a major project in October 2023. Then in early 2024 I would return to the world of work focused on building my consulting company CME 2 Strategic Consulting Firm while also working part-time to supplement my income. That was the plan until it wasn’t.

Late June 2023 after a negative experience with a supervisor I decided this was it! I started packing up my office, slowly taking things home. By the end of July I gave notice. I always like my space to be completely clean when I give notice. I also like to be financially prepared for the possibility that the company may respond with, “Thanks for the notice; but today is your last day.” I don’t want security or HR watching me as I pack items. I don’t want to feel stressed because I accounted for the 2-4 weeks of additional salary. I like being able to grab my purse and leave with no financial stressors. 

When I hit “send” on the resignation email, a massive weight was lifted. I instantly felt FREE! Although it was before my original plan, I quickly was able to pivot and leave sooner. I was financially ready to cover six months, this included my leisure expenses. Similar to my original plan, I still only wanted to take a maximum of three months off before returning to work.

Reframing the Break

When word spread that I was leaving, colleagues stopped by my office to ask where I was going and to speculate why I was leaving. Some of them were a little messy during their speculations which gave me an internal chuckle. When I shared I was not leaving for another position but taking a break from work one of my colleagues said “Oh like a sabbatical?” 

Aha! That was a pivotal moment for me. I hadn’t framed it that way; but once I heard it, it made perfect sense. Coming from a career in higher education it was very common for professors to take a paid sabbatical for a year to focus on research, study, travel or rest. I had never considered applying the concept to myself. 

When friends, family and colleagues asked “What’s next?” I simply replied, “Taking a sabbatical”. A friend of mine often says, “Words mean things,” and she’s right. I noticed how the word sabbatical shifted people’s responses. There was more curiosity, more support, even a sense of legitimacy. It gave structure to an undefined season.  

I loved this period of my life being called a “Sabbatical”!

Six Months of Stillness

My three-month pause stretched into six months of stillness. Aside from occasional paid projects, I was still. I did not work on my business. I stopped applying for part-time roles. I stopped planning; yes me the planner, stopped planning. I listened to my body. I had this deep urge to just exist. For the first time in my adult life, I was still.

I realized during this Sabbatical I never had an opportunity to just be, be still, no work, no achieving; just existing.

How is this possible? Let’s rewind. I found out I was pregnant with my first child 4 months after turning 18, 2 weeks after graduating high school. When I began my sabbatical, I was 39. For 21 years, every decision I made centered around the well being of someone else. I was always on the move, making a plan, chasing a goal. Stillness had never been an option. During my six month sabbatical, life slowed down.

Slowing down allowed me to try new things. I began growing plants successfully. That may sound small, but it  was huge for me; I used to kill everything green. Now, my plants thrive. They have grown so much from 2023-2025. I feel pride each time I see them. I am a plant more to 7 plants with about 3 more on my list to purchase soon.

During my sabbatical, a couple of days a week, I volunteered at my son’s school for the lunch concession stand. Random? Maybe. But I love working concession stands. I’m grateful that my kids always enjoyed seeing me at their school; even my oldest, back when she was in high school. Volunteering contributed to me building deep relationships with teachers and school staff. These relationships have been beneficial to my children, often resulting in them having special things and experiences at school.

For a few months during the sabbatical I attended private pilates sessions. I’ve always preferred one-on-one training over group workouts. My ideal workout time is Tuesday through Thursday, between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Specific? Absolutely; but I know myself and what works for me. My last experience with private training was back in 2021 (shout out to Eric Wiersema in Illinois he was and continues to be AMAZING). It felt good to get back to consistently working out.

Working a job with traditional hours in an office doesn’t support the lifestyle of volunteering and working out midday. I hadn’t realized how good I felt volunteering and working out midday until I had the space to just be; the space to do the things I enjoy. Until this sabbatical I didn’t realize how much I needed this time and these experiences to focus on my personal joy.

Lessons Learned

The lessons I learned during my sabbatical were the importance of slowing down, taking care of myself and doing things that I enjoy. 

Although my sabbatical is over and I am back to earning and achieving, I have slowed down. I have not given myself these strict deadlines to achieve. I am not rushing from one place to another, even if it means I will be late. I am taking my time and moving at a pace that feels good to me. I do not allow the outside world, societal norms or people’s opinions to change the speed I have decided to move. Slowing down my pace has given me the peace I experienced during the sabbatical.

As mentioned, I have spent my adult life taking care of others and neglecting myself. I am a caring person, so I still take care of those around me and consider their well being. However, I am now including myself into that equation. The sabbatical helped me realize if I am taking care of myself then I can function at my best self. Being my best self allows me to take care of the people I love with ease.

Since my sabbatical I am doing more things I enjoy. Yep, that’s it, one simple sentence. If I enjoy it, I make time to do it guilt free.

Peace in the Pause

From August 2023 - February 2024 my sabbatical was peaceful and reflective. I wasn’t trying to attain anything. I was not rushing. There were no deadlines looming, no meetings in my head. I woke up each day and did whatever I felt like doing. Of course, I still had parenting responsibilities; but I did not need to rush from the office to take my son to practice, ending the day eating fast food for dinner. I was already home, dinner was done. My sabbatical gave my a calming rhythm through life. The entire season of stillness was peaceful.  

Two weeks before my 40th birthday on Monday, February 5th I returned to the world of achievement and work. That’s a story for a different blog. This blog is not about working and earning; but pausing.

Take the Break

So, what does my Sabbatical Experience mean for you?! It’s an invitation! Take the sabbatical! If you can’t commit to three or six months; take two weeks at least. Take thirty days if time allows. Just take time. If you are unsure how to plan for stillness, flow and peace book a Strategy Session with me. I will help you build a personalized plan that works for your life.

When you take your sabbatical (I believe you will make it happen) there are two things I want you to remember. 

Be still

Yes, I know being still is hard. I have a Bachelor of Science degree, two Master of Science degrees (earned in 2011 and 2016), I am a licensed Real Estate Broker, I have built and closed businesses and I volunteer in my community. Stillness was never the norm for me. If I can be still for six months you can do it too.

Since returning to a full active schedule in February 2024, I find myself craving that stillness again. I often carve it in by spending as many Sundays as I can being still. No errands, no cooking, no planning for the week. If you need accountability in learning how to be still; I’ve got you covered. 

Flow

If you are a parent, caregiver or anyone with unavoidable responsibilities, I get it; there are things you can’t stop. But wherever you can, let go. Just exist. Don’t worry about tomorrow or what happened yesterday. Wake up and live that day in that moment.

Tag Me

When you take your sabbatical, tag me! I want to see you exist and thrive. You can find me on TikTok, Threads and Instagram @cheronda19.