Sometimes I get tired and don’t feel inspired to work.

Do you have days like that? I’ll bet you do. And it’s totally okay to take some downtime to recharge.

It’s like that old story about the lumberjack hacking away at a tree stump with a dull axe. Each hack at the trunk made a little dent, but the axe was so dull it didn’t bite into the wood. As dusk approached, the fellow’s wife came out to see what was taking so long. She handed her husband a canteen of cool water and took the axe from him. While he drank, she went into the shed, turned on the grinding wheel, and sharpened the axe to a fine edge. She then took the axe back to her husband, retrieved the canteen, and returned to the house without a word. The lumberjack went back to work with the sharpened axe. In minutes, he chopped through the stump.

Have you sharpened your axe lately? It might be that you need more sleep or a vacation. It might be that you need a massage or some pampering to recharge your body and mind. Whatever it is that “sharpens your axe,” give that gift to yourself. All of your projects, goals, and obligations will wait. They’ll be easier to complete, and you’ll have better results if you’re feeling your “sharpest’ best.

Jane gave me two days off to rest and recover from our very intense training. Now I feel physically recharged and mentally renewed! I’m ready for that big show next weekend! Let’s DO this!

Love, Moshi

From Indy:

We’re going back to Vermont soon! There are a lot of bunnies in Vermont. As always, I’ll miss my friends in Florida, but I really love the tall grass and cool weather of Vermont. And the bunnies! Yea bunnies!

Jane, Rhett, and I have spent every summer in Vermont for my entire life. You’d think I’d be used to the bi-annual change by now. But I’m always a bit unsettled when we pack up and head north. I have to get used to the different house, weather, and friends. I’m not really scared. I’m just unsettled.

Have you had some unsettling changes in your life lately? Are you expecting some changes to happen soon? It’s our very nature as living beings to be a bit uncomfortable when things change. It can be the fear of the unknown, the stress of changing habits, or stepping outside of our comfort zones.

Knowing that you’re going to feel unsettled is the first step to accepting the change. Allow yourself to feel anxious but know it’s temporary. Humans are the most adaptable of creatures, so you’ll be back in your groove in no time.

I’m going to take my toys to Vermont with me. That gives me something familiar to hang onto to maintain my sense of continuity. Do you have toys that make you feel more settled? Jane says I’m her favorite “toy,” and she will always keep me with her. That made me smile. I know as long as Rhett, Jane, Moshi, and I are together, we’ll feel good wherever we are.

Love, Indy

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602