This blog was originally sent as an email to my subscribers on January 25, 2024. This is an archive, so it’s possible some links are missing or expired. If you want me to deliver these emails directly to your inbox, click here to join my email list.
Subject: personal update + what’s next
I’m back in the office after a five-week sabbatical.
My intention for my sabbatical was to experience what it feels like to have no plan. No plan during the sabbatical, and no plan for what was coming after the sabbatical. I was committed to spending five uninterrupted weeks in the void.
My only assignment during this time was to honor what my body wanted to do each moment of the day. What would happen, I wondered, if I gave my body permission to do whatever she wanted with no external interruptions?
Yesterday, while scrolling Instagram, I saw a Reductress meme that perfectly summarized my sabbatical experience:
Unsurprisingly, my body wanted to sleep a lot. Most nights, I’d sleep for 12 hours before moving to the couch to read novels and doze for several more hours.
Surprisingly (to me), my body wanted to move. I went on walks in the forest and around my neighborhood. I did gentle yoga and dance exercises in my basement.
I went to the movies with friends, baked cookies for my dogs, and hung pictures in my living room. There were moments when my emotional process went into some dark territory, but even then, I felt smooth and steady.
I was learning that I could trust my body to lead the way.
Last year, I quietly closed my programs, Next-Level Therapist and Spotlight. Many people raised their eyebrows when I told them what I was doing. “Maegan, why would you do that? You’ve worked so hard, and they’re going so well!” All true statements.
But deep down, I knew it was time to bring a new iteration of myself and my work to the forefront without relying on my mind to figure out who I was becoming.
I’ve had a plan since I was 15 years old. My sweet brain crafted a survival strategy to help me cope with a traumatic experience that carried me through to high school graduation. That plan worked so well that I made another plan to see myself through college! And then grad school, and then private practice, and then moving across the country, and then, and then, and then. I’ve only known life with a plan. Until now.
This poem by John O’Donohue has been a source of inspiration:
I would love to live like a river flows,
carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.
That’s what I’ve been practicing—learning how to flow like a river as I’ve gently and systematically deconstructed the structures I’ve created to keep myself safe. I’m doing it with deep gratitude for the impact these offerings have had on me and my clients! These programs have been beautiful, and it’s time to move on.
I am traveling deeper into myself and learning to trust the whispers of my heart telling me where to go next.
So, here I am, almost at the end of January, totally in the dark about what I’m building next. Okay, that’s dramatic. I’m not totally in the dark. I hear the whispers. I feel the tugs. It just isn’t time to build the next BIG thing, but I don’t have to sit back and do nothing while I wait for inspiration to strike.
I asked myself, “How are you being called to serve now? How can you show up and support the people you care about while honoring your need to slow down, simplify, and live in the void for a while longer?”
The trees gave me my answer during a recent walk through the forest. “Go back to your roots,” they said. “Invite more depth and connection into your work by returning to your roots and working intimately with a small group of private clients.”
(Pro-Tip → If you’re ever confused or uncertain, take a walk through the forest. You’ll often find what you need waiting for you among the trees.)
It took me a minute to reorient myself to this invitation. I’ve spent years in the scalable business world where 1:many groups and passive offerings reign supreme. While I love these options for serving more people and increasing income, my body is telling me it’s time to go back to my roots by doing what I do best in a way that feels exciting and aligned for me now.
I’m excited to share that I’m opening 6 spots for private mentorship clients!
Specifically, I’m looking for mission-driven entrepreneurs with established businesses who are craving one-on-one mentorship with a guide who listens like a therapist, thinks like a coach, and plays like an artist.
This is not skills and strategy business coaching to help you work less while earning more money. It is three months of intimate one-on-one connection with me to explore the parts of YOU that need attention inside your business.
This invitation is right for you if you identify with one (or more) of the following…
You’re burned out and can’t imagine continuing to work this way. Your passion for your mission used to keep you going, but even that isn’t enough anymore. You’re ready to stop running yourself ragged by learning how to create a nourishing and sustainable business.
You’re bored and uninspired. Your mission has lost its luster, and you’re worried you’ll never find creative juice in your work again. You know you want something more than what you have right now, but you don’t know what the next iteration of your vision is for yourself or your work.
You’re ready to level up, but fear, self-doubt, and perfectionism prevent you from taking action. You have a vision for where you want to go with your work, but you need help healing old wounds so you can confidently step into the spotlight.
I don’t know how to label the work I’m doing now. I’ll probably figure it out later. For now, I want to be clear that this is deep, experiential work. We’re leaving no stone unturned, exploring your emotions, spirituality, creativity, etc. I’m weaving my practical magic and a healthy dose of woo into your money-making business to help you align your work with your life.
If this mumbo-jumbo speaks to you, we might be a good fit to work together. I’m finalizing the details of the structure and cost, which I will share publicly soon. In the meantime, if you feel a strong pull to this invitation, reply to this email and let me know.
For now, I want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you for opening my emails and reading my words. It is an honor to be on your radar. I am very excited to see where this river takes us next.
Much love,
Maegan