Being in Check Out is the adult equivalent of the child who doesn't want to leave the party but instead of resisting goes completely limp in your arms. This dead weight and passive resistance can be harder to shift than the toddler's temper tantrums. The key when in Check Out is to invest in self, and if this sounds a little like navel-gazing to you (Come on, Al, you might be thinking, surely you just dust yourself off and get on with the job), then stick with me. The three actions to focus on to step out of Check Out can be the hardest three to nail.

So let's step into it by exploring over the next three chapters how to hit the reset button, re-establish boundaries, and reconnect with what matters.