Two years ago, life looked very different. I had just arrived in Koh Samui, due to spend a few weeks over the Christmas period with my brother and Dad in the sunshine. It seemed like the best time of year to take a long overdue break from my workshops. I had learned from the previous year, that there aren’t too many people interested in doing an icebath or breathing heavily with a belly full of turkey.
Despite the obvious differences from last year (like it being much colder here than on a Thai beach), some things remain the same, albeit for different reasons. I didn’t have a traditional Christmas dinner that year in the sunshine, and I won’t have one here this year either. I’m 12 days away from completing a 60 day juice fast, due to complete at midnight on New Year’s Eve. No workshops this December either…
So much has happened during the two years in between; both personally, and with the state of the world. I’m excited for 2021 on both fronts though. More people than ever have been shaken into consciousness. Forced to look inward either by illness, or by the unbearable weight of stress caused by the measures that have been put in place, trying to protect the most vulnerable from illness.
It’s regrettable that it often takes tragedy to force us from the comfort of ‘how things are’, even when ‘how things are’, is terrible. I wish it hadn’t have required a chronic illness, obesity and suicidal depression to help me question what I was being told, and think for myself. I’m eternally grateful for it, however. I can’t imagine a life which followed the trajectory of my early twenties, before I became ill.
Though circumstances are terrible for a lot of people right now, I’m sure that in hindsight many will end up grateful for the tragedies they may be suffering too. I see so many people awakening to ideas that they wouldn’t have been open to before. Trying new things like getting into the cold. It’s almost impossible to walk the coastline of my hometown now without seeing people in the sea. In December.
It’s good and sincere to honour the, ‘ah shit’ feeling when things seem awful. It’s more helpful to shift to, “what can I learn from this?” than ruminating on that immediate response though. It seem like a lot of people are choosing to learn, myself included. It was painful to let go of my workshops for the immediate future, but it’s opened up the possibility for me to write my book and focus online as well.
Intuition
I have clarity on my next steps that I didn’t have before. Complete the book. Create the best Causeway Living journal possible. Release The Causeway Living Online Course. Deliver seminars and workshops online, and continuing to serve my 1-to-1 clients online as well. Get the podcast running to let people know that there is another way, once they too have hit the point of looking for a new path.
This opens a big door for me. The life I see in 2021, does not take place in Northern Ireland. I won’t be away in the first quarter of the year, as I have commitments to keep and loose ends to tie up. However, I do intend on spreading my wings and developing as a person through living in a new environment when it’s possible again (global travel situation pending). I’m not saying I won’t be back, either.
Following my intuition has taken me so far over the past six years, and I’ve never been more in touch with it. It’s louder than ever thanks to a year of meditating more consistently than ever before, and maintaining practices like breathwork. My intuition is telling me loud and clear that it’s time to move on, and I hold this intention with an openness that allows for whatever is meant to be, to come to fruition.
It’s scary to declare things like this publicly. “Where are you going?!”, “Don’t leave! I’ll miss you!”, perhaps even a few “good riddance”, which is fine too. My egoic self says, “What if you don’t managed to fulfil that intention. You’ll look like a failure”. My True self responds, “So what? I’m so much more than what people think about me.” With practice, that True self has often become the one that wins.
Goodbye?
It’s definitely not time to say goodbye. Like I said , I’ll be here for the short term future (for more than a few reasons; the pandemic, my commitments etc.). I don’t know for certain where I’m headed. A first port of call would likely be back to Thailand, to see my Brother and Dad. I miss them after a year apart thanks to global travel restrictions. They haven’t been home in 2020, so maybe I’ll to go to them.
I don’t know how long I’ll be away for either. My gut tells me for long time and perhaps permanently, but even if that were the case, I would still visit Northern Ireland regularly. I’ll still be sharing the adventure online, and be in touch there too. I’m sure Causeway Living will only prosper. Dash & Splash will continue to run perfectly in it’s new format, thanks to the amazing volunteers involved.
I had intended on writing something to the effect of this post around New Year, but it was coming to me today, and I had to let it happen. I promise to dedicate the next 1000 words back towards the book, which is inching closer to completion (all being well, still due for early 2021). I’ve found that there is magic in openly speaking your truth; it really helps to accelerate a vision towards the present.
This will likely be the last blog post of the year while I continue focusing on the remainder of my juice fast and working on the book, so I’ll wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year now. Occasional posts will still go out on social media, but I won’t be checking replies personally so hit me up at scott@causewayliving.com if there’s anything you need a response to, or want to get in touch.
Much love and thanks for your continued support,
