Though usually regarded as the result of trying to give too much, burnout in my experience results from trying to give what I do not possess. – Parker Palmer

I’ve been feeling that these last few weeks. Do to various life circumstances, I’m trying to just dig deeper and push harder when there isn’t anything left in the tank. I’m really looking forward to starting vacation next week. I’m hoping to take some time away from writing here, and finding some space to recover. James Clear wrote a great post explaining the importance of recovery. For him, it was about recovering from exercise, but the same is true of mental work. There is only so much energy in you to give. I’m still thinking about Standing Still, trying to find the space, when it feels like life around me is trying to drag me into a whirlwind (my wife had a migraine for a few days this week, and my daughter was struggling at daycare this week, on top of some extra stress at work, and several personal commitments that I was excited to do and they contributed to the meaning bucket, but took from the energy bucket).

My biggest goal next year is that by this time next December, I will be in a position where I can use my energy in the way that I want to, in a way that serves others that I want to serve. I need to figure out all the steps between here and there. But, I’m excited about the possibility. I said to a friend, this is the first time in as long as I can remember where I was coming up to a new year, and was honestly excited about what was to happen next year. Its going to be a lot of work, but I want to do that work. It feels meaningful to me. Its been a while since I could say that about work I’ve done, and it feels good.

FYI – if you’re serious about thinking through next year, and want to make a serious break through with any goals you have, from fitness, to career, to relationships, to travel, whatever – Scott Dinsmore of Live Your Legend has released his 2015 Yearly Planning Guide. I’m going to take time next week to go through this. He’s based a lot of these ideas from what he’s learned from people like Warren Buffet, so I know its good. I plan to post about the highlights from mine in January.