Maybe it’s that back to school feeling in the air, maybe it has to do with my baby reaching her 9-month milestone, or maybe it is a reaction to last year, which was a year of production (CD, videos, a baby). Whatever the reason, I am feeling a strong need to fill up my cup with new knowledge and experience. We all go in waves of production, consumption, and assimilation, and its time for me to take in rather than put out.

Easier said than done.

As an independent business owner I don’t work for a system that has professional development expectations and opportunities built in. I don’t have a boss who gets disappointed when I don’t stay current in my field or when my performance is lackluster. I don’t have colleagues sitting at the next desk who trigger healthy competition. Which means I have to seek it on my own.

And of course there is the time issue. Have to run the bath, make dinner, make a bottle, pick up a kid, run a class, play a show. Read an article or book? Not lately. There is of course that after 8pm slot. (snore.)

The final obstacle is my administrative assistant/PR agent, meaning me. She is very motivated, but more in the alpha achievement realm than the humble knowledge seeking realm. She works to expand my business, return an email, send out a request, research new opportunities. When there is a free minute to write a song or read a book she always somehow wins.

But this is important. Getting re-excited about my work makes the parents I teach more excited too. My message comes across much more convincingly and parents walk away from my groups singing to their babies.

So I am putting it on paper as a way of committing. A conference, a few books, a few articles, conversations with people who will inspire me. It’s time for some professional development for this mom/entrepreneur. Are you feeling the same pull?