The Past Less Trodden
Bottom line…
It’s exhausting
And exhilarating
It’s scary
And exciting
It’s unstable
Yet we create whatever we want.
THE KIDS
Last night I lay in my bed and felt an enormity of emotion as I thought about my still little boy. I was missing him already.
We dropped him last week in Italy at the British Ski Academy where he will be staying until April. We get him back on a Saturday.
I know many people have kids that board but that was never something I thought I would do. Except I have a child that is driven by passion and who am I to stand in the way of it with a mother’s neediness.
I think of him racing like a lunatic down the mountain, proudly telling me about his tricks off the black jumps – he is alive with excitement whilst I am biting my tongue trying not to tell him to be careful.
EDUCATION
And then there’s the education path.
We’re heading off piste with this too.
Every child is different with different needs.
Sometimes I wish we had just left them in ‘normal’ school, drop them off and forget about it.
But we know our kids and right now that hasn’t been where they flourish.
They’ve done English schools, French school, Montessori School – each with their merits and downsides.
And now, Zak is being remotely tutored by one of the world’s most progressive teachers and so far he’s totally engaged (a first).
Next year we have plans afoot for Bali, Australia, Chamonix & Costa Rica. Loose plans as patience is required for the pieces of the puzzle to drop into place.
At times it keeps me up at night – are we doing the right thing? Are we f***ing up our kids?
But I believe not, intuitively we are being guided and trust is where it’s at.
It’s all I have!
CAREER
No easy path.
It sounds glamorous to have built and own a hotel / villa complex in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
I don’t know how Babs is still sane. Or has black hair.
A random piece of land in a harsh environment.
Bureaucratic nightmare, brown envelopes here and there.
Progress at the mercy of politics, terrorists, droughts, exchange rates, Brexit, Trump – you name it, it’s stood in the way.
But the vision lives on. And thrives.
Resilience is essential.
My coaching practice.
I love what I do.
And nothing comes particularly easy.
Constant self development
Constant investment beyond the comfort zone
The entrepreneurial journey.
The need to consistently keep myself in good space to be able to hold the space for others.
With the passing of my beloved Mum in the summer that has been tough.
Business had to be put on hold for a few months there.
A lesson in letting go even when things were tight
FINANCES
Swings and roundabouts.
Little stability
Peaks and troughs
Cashflow for a developer is the biggest challenge.
Years of investment with no immediate return.
People think we are rolling in cash, I choke on my green juice (or bubbles depending on the time of day) when I hear that
You juggle, you borrow, I lose sleep
But trusting you are always supported goes a long way
RELATIONSHIP
The most important thing of all.
Love, love, love everywhere
It’s how we do things.
Showering our kids, and each other
It’s what binds the whole thing together
And yet – sometimes it feels like there is no space
After 4 weeks of guests (because we love it) connection takes work
It’s a commitment
It’s constant communication
It’s vital
HEALTH & FITNESS
We put ourselves in environments where it’s a given
Hiking, skiing, touring, yoga
It’s in our bones
We can’t not
Without our health the whole, often precarious, thing would fall apart.
So, as we prepare to take on a year that will see us throw most of the pieces of the puzzle in the air I’m taking a deep breath.
And then I remember why.
Life is finite (this time around)
We are put on this planet to fully embrace the human experience
The planet is our playground.
Our mission is to leave it in a better state than we have had the pleasure of experiencing.
Our version is not for everyone.
In fact very few.
But we all have a version of what makes us feel alive.
Actively explore what that is for you.
And enjoy the ride!
Jennie Harland-Khan – Extraordinary living for high performers
Living your life your way is not for the faint hearted, nor is it guaranteed but a life lived well is a life on the path less trodden and all of our coaches enable our clients to leave a legacy that matters. Ripple effects of change and leading from the front.
If you are ready to align you with you and leave a legacy that matters we want to hear from you