Do you have a plan for that?
Years ago, almost in passing, someone told me to plan for the plateaus of life. I can’t say I “got it” as is often the case with advice. But over time I have stumbled my way towards understanding what that nugget means for me.
And I have walked many women through the process of creating a plan for when things plateau. That is what I want to offer you today.
What is a plateau?
A plateau is the part of your path that feels like it is flat. There is no movement. And is painful to be on. The plateaus have a way of inducing terror. That often looks like questioning why you even stepped on a particular path in the first place.
That terror sounds a little like “what was I thinking?” or “I know it felt too easy?” or “I was naive.”
The truth is that every single path has a plateau point (or many). When you prepare up front for when the plateau strikes, two things happen.
When the plateau strikes, you can welcome it like an expected guest. That alone is very different than feeling catapulted to the land of the unexpected.
You know what to do. Not to make the plateau period shorter (things will not always happen on your timetable). But you will know how to treat yourself with more kindness and to be with yourself in the plateau period.
Combined, these two things are an insurance plan against the pull to leave the path all together.
What does a plateau plan look like?
Step right into a client session from last week.
This client was making some big changes in her life. The stretch for her was making changes despite not having all the answers up front. She was leaning on a new muscle she had built around trusting her own resourcefulness.
A chapter appeared to be closing, bookmarked by a geographic move across the country. So many things were lining up to support her - all felt right.
And then I asked her...
"So what is the plan for when things aren’t falling into place?"
For when you hit the first plateau. My question jarred her. She did not want to think about a time when all the things lining up to support her would stop.
But she built a plan anyway.
First, she identified where her mind may take her. All the stories her brain would drum up to pull her off the path and back to the land of comfort. These came from her reflection around what thinking had ejected her from the path before.
Next, she brainstormed a few ways she wanted to be thinking when the plateau hit. Where she wanted to focus her attention. These had to be believable and resonant for her - not some made up narrative to create false hope.
Then, she identified a few things that would support her shift in thinking. Things that she knew made her feel good (even if they felt unrelated or irrational). She included:
people she could reach out to (even preparing them in advance for this conversation)
ways she could tap into her inspiration and creativity
what she could do to step away and gain perspective
Last, she got crystal clear on how she would know or sense when she was in a plateau (they can be sneaky). There is a big temptation to muscle through and deny the plateau is upon you. When you accept the plateau, you have more resources to follow through on the plan you created.
When you build a plan for yourself up front before you hit the plateau, there is more of you to support yourself. Not the beatdown, drained, version of yourself that appears when you are in the plateau.
Give yourself the gift of your full resourcefulness and make a plan for the plateau.
Shine On,
Alicia