I'm starting a two-month sabbatical next week. Usually, I work fast, cramming as much as I can between school bus pick up and drop off everyday. So slowing down for two months feels absolutely radical.

> I'm hitting pause on one on one coaching to make room for exploring new ideas and questions, and getting to work on a book proposal.

> I'm taking a break from the constant push-pull between the needs of family and the needs of my work.

> I'm allowing myself to settle in to a different rhythm for the summer season.

But I’m not wholehearted looking forward to this time. In fact, I’m a little scared of it. Here’s why.

All athletes know that rest days are essential to our ability to push harder and increase our strength, skills, and endurance over the long-run. Without the rest days, our bodies would fight back and fail us, resulting in chronic pain and serious injuries. This is true not only for formal athletes, but anyone who maintains a regular workout schedule–we’re athletes too!

The same is true for the white space in all types of art—it’s the unseen but crucial component that helps create the beauty we experience, whether it’s in the form of visual art, music, dance, film, theater, or literature.

So why is it so difficult for us to apply the same “white space” to our lives?