Last night, Orion was sleeping very restlessly – waking every hour or so.  In desperation, I took him into my office and laid down on the futon with him.  I nursed him back to sleep, and finally we both slept.   

I awoke to a ferocious storm – loud thunderclaps, bright lightning, and pounding rain.  I love thunderstorms, and this one was perfect.  I’d never watched a storm in my office before.  It was amazing!  My office has three windows, and they lit up with an otherworldly glow with every lightning strike.  The windowpanes rattled in the wind and rain, and I could almost feel the energy of the storm swirling about me.  Through it all, Orion slept.  Each time the room was bathed with light, I looked down at him lying next to me and marveled at the peaceful, angelic expression on his sleeping face.  The perfect storm – and he slept right through it. 

In late October 1991, the strongest storm in recorded history occurred over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Massachusetts.  It was called “The Perfect Storm,” because it consisted of three storms that collided and combined into one.  This month I’ve been swept up in my own personal version of a perfect storm, and I’ve only recently begun to see the sunlight breaking through the clouds, so to speak.   

I happen to have three personal attributes that when combined can send me spiraling into stormy darkness.  I love to read, I love to introspect, and I have perfectionistic tendencies.  Alone, each attribute is either benign or manageable.  Put them all together though, and watch out.   

In the past few weeks, Orion went from sleeping through the night to waking three, four, five, and more times each night.  I began reading books on sleep and thinking about what I’d been doing to help or hinder his sleep.  I kept trying and trying to get him to sleep well, thinking that if I could just figure out what the problem was, I could fix it.  Thanks to my perfectionistic tendencies, each time he woke in the night, I felt that I’d failed.  I formulated and tested so many theories regarding the cause of his sleeping problems that I wore myself out.  My perfect storm was raging. 

In the midst of the storm, it’s difficult to see the light.  Almost impossible.  Luckily, I have loved ones who know me well.  Very gently, they suggested that I stop reading about sleep and start reading novels…that I stop trying to figure out a long-term solution and start enjoying life moment by moment…that I remember that “good enough” really is good enough.   

As the fury of my perfect storm begins to subside, I’m better able to tune in to my intuition and inner strength.  And every time I remember how peaceful Orion looked in the midst of the storm, I’m reminded that I have that same calmness within me.  I just have to close my eyes and breathe.  

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Life Navigation Coaching
find your direction, plan your journey

Lisa M. Evans, Ph.D.

(614) 262-8820

lisa@lifenavigationcoaching.com

www.lifenavigationcoaching.com

The Explorer is published monthly to inspire curious people – people who love to explore, discover, and learn – to go out and get what they want.  It is written by Lisa M. Evans, Ph.D., of Life Navigation Coaching, who coaches people to close the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

You can contact Lisa at (614) 262-8820 or by e-mail at lisa@lifenavigationcoaching.com.

Visit Life Navigation Coaching at www.lifenavigationcoaching.com to learn more about life coaching, Lisa, and opportunities for you.

You may use material from The Explorer in whole or in part, provided you include the complete attribution, including a live web site link and e-mail link.  Please inform me when and where the material will appear.  

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