I received this email from a client yesterday morning. I hear this sentiment a lot and knew it was worth quoting directly:
“I am on my way to Charlotte to the WITHIT conference. Women in the Home Furnishings Industry. I feel a bit guilty going so much this month, but that is the way the schedule fell, and I am determined to network more and outside my normal sphere. Driving this time and planning to spend the night with a dear girlfriend on the way home to spend time with her.
“Not many of us can just go when we want to and I am new to this freedom. Pretty amazing. Looking forward to speaking to you next week.”
My response:
“Let go of the guilty feeling for a second, pull back and take a look at the life you have created for yourself. I see a woman on the move and making a living, with friends in all places and the agility to manage the freedom and joy of this independence. What’s to feel guilty about? That others haven’t designed their lives to have what you have? That you get to be happy?”
And hers back to me:
“I have printed this out to read and reread as I travel over the next couple of days.”


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August 18, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Catherine
I would have loved to go to the Withit Conference – several of my Twitter friends are presenting and invited me to join them. Unfortunately, I had prior plans.
However I have that same entrepreneurial freedom, so I rearranged my schedule this week and spent all of Monday in the city perusing the New York International Gift Fair and then having a late and long lunch with an old friend.
It was great, as though I had given a gift to myself at the beginning of the week!
I hope your client has a wonderful time.
Catherine
August 19, 2010 at 8:54 pm
janepollak
@Catherine
I could have as easily pointed out to you how great your life is. I know you get that, even though at times it seems hard.