Operation Freedom

September 2022 marked a turning point for me. I had experienced a significant disappointment over the summer. Instead of moping, I wanted to look ahead. I wanted a workable plan. I wanted to feel free to be myself fully and to take on some creative projects with the future in mind.

It was too soon to retire, and our nest was beginning to empty. I had more of that "time" I had sought so desperately while raising a family and working full time. How could I live more creatively while keeping a day job? How could I plan for the future? How could I spend time with the people who mattered most to me?

We have a camp in Rideau Lakes, Ontario, so I took myself on a DIY retreat. With the autumn weather still warm enough for camping, the days not yet shortening too much and the forecast calling for some rain, I had no excuse. There was shelter to keep me dry and I brought provisions for a couple of days.

I took my writing tools: a journal, some smooth-writing pens, a cheap notebook for scattered thoughts. And some treats: good chocolate, my favourite wine, coffee. I went on a hike, I read some short stories, I napped and then I parked myself at the picnic table in the shed (to get out of the drizzle) and asked myself: Self, what do you want? I mean really want?

I wrote:

- time for writing

- regular visits with extended family

- husband and kids pursuing their things

- stable finances

Then I asked myself: What do you want to be feeling while doing these things?

- creative

- connected

- balanced

I also asked myself: Why is this important and why now?

- I have the opportunity for more time freedom (kids are in post-secondary phase)

- I have my health and financial stability

- I am feeling stuck and don't want to stay stuck

- because I can

And then I asked myself: So, how might you get this?

I drew a horizontal arrow in the cheap notebook -- with NOW on the left end and A YEAR FROM NOW on the right end -- and I mapped out five columns with the following headings:

Plan (Sept - Dec)

Phase 1 (Jan - Mar)

Phase 2 (April - June)

Phase 3 (July - Sept)

Consolidate / next steps (Oct - Dec)

And so, Operation Freedom* was born.

Operation Freedom meant: a timeline with achievable milestones and purpose-driven activities that would allow me to feel fulfilled and live fully while expressing my values (balance, creativity, connection), and also spend time with the people I care about.

How would I get there? I filled in the columns with phrases that started with active verbs:

- call / reach out to...

- scope out...

- register for...

- book tickets to...

- write about...

- initiate a...

- contact...

- learn about...

- explore...

And I spread out the activities in a sequence that built in time for planning and introspection at the start, action and activities that kept up momentum across Phases 1-3 and then time for consolidation and reflection on next steps at the end. Over the past year, I reviewed this plan on a quarterly basis. Surprisingly, the actions stayed pretty consistent and, one by one, I marked them as completed or moved items to another section of the timeline as needed.

Today, in the midst of the consolidation phase, I took a look at that page and I CHECKED OFF EVERY REMAINING ITEM (except for 2 -- I have a plan for completing one by end of December and the remaining one by the end of January 2024).

Over the past year I made changes in my professional and personal life. I took some risks, opened up to new opportunities and made some decisions that may seem unusual to some people but that allowed me to move forward. I made some strategic investments and I stuck to my plan. This is not my usual modus operandi. In the past, I became consumed by frustration, put others' expectations before mine or hoped that something would change.

This time, I explored new activities and built on the confidence I gained by doing them. I took a more methodical approach. I set and achieved small but influential milestones.

And now I feel... free.

*Want a FREE copy of my Operation Freedom template? Contact me