The last 48 hours are a perfect snapshot of how full, buoyant, exciting, and just a wee bit crazy that my life in New York has become. Since Tuesday morning at 4:00 AM, I have attended two 7:00 AM networking meetings, began training and behind-the-scenes admin work to become the new secretary/treasurer of my BNI chapter, hired my first assistant (thank you Sweet Baby Jesus!), shopped at the farmer’s market and Trader Joe’s to ensure I’m fueling my body as healthfully as I can, finished my Christmas shopping at Target, AND signed on my first new book of 2017.

In the middle of running at the speed of light through Target on Tuesday afternoon, my girl, Tiffany, called to catch up with me. I told her that I had to make our conversation short, but I would definitely catch up with her before the week’s end. She simply said, “No problem, girl. I just wanted to make sure that I talk with you before you go to India.”

I replied, “Girl, of course, we’ll talk before I go to India. I’m not leaving until next week.”

As soon as I hung up the phone, I had a mini-meltdown in the Target.

AHHHCCCKKKK, I’M LEAVING FOR INDIA IN A WEEK!

My meltdown was 10 percent excitement and 90 percent fear. For those of you who have been following my New York adventure for the last 35 months, you know that I have been HUSTLING HARD to make this chapter in my life happen. From networking all over the city to working hard with my business coach to building my business one word, one chapter, and one book at a time, this has been one of the most soul-stretching chapters of my life thus far.

SO HOW IN THE HELL CAN I LEAVE MY BABY, MY DREAM, THIS BEAUTIFUL BUSINESS THAT I CREATED FOR NEARLY THREE WEEKS??

After I calmed myself down, the answer was simple: I am leaving my baby for a few weeks because I realize that in order for both Leah and Fresh Eyes Editorial Services to keep growing, I have to give us both a chance to REST.

I finished my final project of 2016 the day before Thanksgiving, and I realize that my desk has not been empty since July 2015. Thank you, Sweet Baby Jesus, for every single person who has entrusted me with their words, AND that’s just a wee bit insane. I LOVE what I do, AND I realize that I’ve been flirting with the edge of insanity for far longer than I need to.

This is the first time since I began my New York Adventure that I will be taking very purposeful, intentional time off the grid JUST. FOR. LEAH. But to be honest, I’m equally excited and scared, y’all. I’m excited to explore and discover India, which has been a country on my bucket list for years, AND I’m scared of taking a pause (but a much-needed pause!) on my evolution as an entrepreneur.

As I let myself go through all the emotions that came up around what these last 35 months have meant in my life, I had to acknowledge myself and say, “Leah Lynette Lakins, you are a bad motherfucker. You show up and say “YES” to your life every single day. You walk through EVERY door that opens in your life and you shut the ones that no longer deserve your precious time, energy, and attention. You have worked HARD and DESERVE this time to REPLISH, REVIVE, and RENEW your soul.”

When I hit publish on this blog post today, it will officially be SIX days before I leave to India (Ahhh!!), but I am giving myself the grace to answer as many emails and I can, set up as many appointments as possible for NEXT YEAR, and as of Saturday at noon, Fresh Eyes Editorial Services will be closed for 2016. As scary as that feels, in order for this empire to grow, I know that the WOMAN behind this DREAM has to rest so that she can wake up RESTORED, REVIVED, and RENEWED so that she can DREAM again.

(For those of you who have never watched “A Different World” and are wondering about what the heck is going on in my main graphic today, watch this clip, and may we all be inspired to take the necessary time to relax, relate, and release! 🙂