This summer I vacationed in North Georgia at Lake Chatuge, an extraordinarily beautiful lake created by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1942. The Tusquitee Mountains rise up around it to create a rich canvas for the morning mist and the warm light of sunset.
Knowing that the lake was man-made made me very curious about the history of the area and, especially, what was sacrificed for the TVA to create a reservoir and power supply. I found this snippet about the history:
During the construction 1 man lost his life, and 24 suffered injuries. Of course, the folks whose land lay in the path of the lake were not so happy. Gone forever were the approximately 3,700 acres in Clay County, NC and 3,500 acres in Towns County, Georgia. It was the area’s richest and best farmland from which the residents had gleaned their livelihoods. Churches and schools were interrupted and moved, 532 grave sites had to be relocated. The January 9, 1942 issue of the Towns County Herald, stated that “…141 houses had to be moved …about 60 families have left the county–affected directly or indirectly by the building of the dam.”
Farms, churches, homes – even graves and one man’s life – so much was disrupted in the name of progress and in the creation of something that is now beautiful, relaxing and very valuable for the local economy.
As we create our own businesses, we let things go – sometimes “richest and best” things – so that we can get to that place of alignment and greater value. That transition can feel like a flood as the old things are released and washed away.
It can feel overwhelming.
A key to thriving during this transition is to be very intentional about your flood. Move what you can, resettle what needs to be resettled and then know and accept that certain things will be washed away. Release them with relief, joy and anticipation for the new things that are to come.
I’m in the middle of a big flood now as I transform my business from general coaching for entrepreneurs into a much tighter focus on branding.
Some of the things I’m intentionally releasing into the flood are:
- A practice that is too broad in scope. I wasn’t built to be a generalist. I like the deep learning that goes with pursuing expertise.
- The idea that everything has to be perfect – or even that anything will be perfect.
- The idea that having answers is my value. What if I’m just supposed to have questions? Does this seem to contradict expertise? Not really. My favorite experts ask genius questions.
- Trying to keep old things going while adding more and more new things. Something’s gotta give.
- My “old” expertise. My years as a technologist have been rewarding and valuable. They will always come in handy but that’s not where I’ll hang my hat forever.
Just as that little mountain community had to make room for clean water and electricity, we too can choose to make room for sustenance and power. I trust that peace like the deep waters of Lake Chatuge will also be an outcome.
image credit: alex_ford
What are you willing to intentionally release?
By Laurie Foley
Laurie Foley helps solo professionals discover their natural brand so that they can get clear, get noticed and get clients. Sign up to receive your free copy of The Inner Brandifesto, her popular guidebook full of brand-building exercises.
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Great post Laurie. Really hit the spot too. I’ve been feeling all this transition and seeing how the “flood” has washed away the very energies that needed to be carriered out of my life and yet I’ve been so “in it” that observation has eluded me. You put the whole thing into perspective very clearly. Thank you. I will send my reader over to your blog to view this message .