yep, pyramid it is.

In the end, the decision really wasn't that hard to make. I'm going on vacation. Next Monday. For two and a half weeks.
Things just come up sometimes and it's best not too think too rationally. I would have missed out on seeing Tel Aviv, the Dead See, Jerusalem, Petra and the pyramids - and my good friend the private eye – had I focused on the financials and my business-to-be.

For those who have not been able to follow, I am starting my own business. (As Philippe would say : “did I miss a step? oh yeah, of course I missed a step – I’m talking to Patricia.”) I went through many phases since I moved back to Switzerland before finally settling for starting my own business: Get a job; start my own business; get a job; get a part-time job; start my own business; get a job; get a job for sure; start my own business.

Starting my own business didn't feel quite right until I reviewed my resume to look for a job. I showed it to someone and that person said: "you're all about sports." It's true, my entire professional career has been about sport. I got a college scholarship through basketball. I played professional basketball. I worked for a fitness equipment company. I had my own basketball player management agency. I worked for an athletic footwear company. So it hit me: I can start a coaching business about what I know best. I show athletes how to carry over what they learned in sport to the “real” life and how to have a life while playing sport. That's the two aspects of sport that have had a strong impact in my life and that I feel passionate about.

When I was playing basketball, I struggled with the lack of balance in my life. I devoted so much time to sport that I left my personal development for later. I also focused so hard on performing that, many times, I forgot that playing basketball was first and foremost a game.

Once I retired (I love that word - it sounds so serious), I felt lost. I realized that my circle of friends revolved around basketball and that once I left, I didn’t feel like I belonged anymore. I lost my identity. I had always been Patricia the basketball player and suddenly becoming just Patricia felt odd. I quickly replaced "the basketball player" by "the director of communication". I devoted as much time to my professional career that I had to my athletic career, leaving personal development and other important aspects of life, once again, for later.

It is only about eight months ago that I started to re-evaluate the importance of family, relationships, social life, personal development, spirituality, finance and health and to put them in the center of the picture where they belong.

It was a long and slow process to get to a feeling of balance, and a lot of letting go. First I was let go by someone I had loved and stuck with for many years. Then I let go of the job. Breaking these two emotional ties somehow set me free and things began to fall into place.

It was like an gigantic shift had happened. I suddenly realized I wasn’t lonely anymore: I had so many dear friends that were there for me in Boston, in Charleston, in Miami and in Switzerland. I became aware of how much my family mattered and how much I missed them. I got the money I needed to accomplish my projects. I went on a spiritual path and healed. I found faith along the way and got to appreciate that life is so much easier when we follow our heart and let it guide us. I finally had time to read all the books I had been dying to read. I got to travel and meet amazing people. I got a solid education in coaching and a fresh chance at starting in a new direction.

Taking another vacation sounds like a big joke considering that I’ve been on “vacation” for so many months. It really is and I’m sitting here laughing because I’m so damn happy. Life is good.

Life is good.