What are you doing right now and are you enjoying it? Are you currently satisfied being where you are? Or both? Where are you going? Do you see how your current activities and interests lead to other things? That during a season you are fulfilled, but then you reach for more or different? Have you thought about it?
I have found that when I’m relaxed and in a groove I will enjoy it for a time, but I eventually want something new to do. Then, after changing gears and being busier and more productive, I long for some down time. (Down time is productive too though; we just have to give ourselves permission to accept it!) I am happy and very grateful that I enjoy my professional and educational life – meeting and conversing with new people on campus and online, working on my database labs and participating in class discussions, even helping my son and daughter with their school work and life in general – but after a while, I need to get away for alone and quiet time so that I can recharge.
I have gone through this in seasons of my life too, not just in daily or weekly activities. After I received my associate’s degree years ago, I worked as a systems analyst for 14 years and loved it. I left that life to run my own business and home-school my children for about 10 years. Now I am at school again with two new career focuses, basically starting a new life back in my hometown, and loving every minute of it.
I used to think that getting the “itch” to improve my life or just move on to something new meant that what I had done in the past was somehow inadequate, or I had lost the meaning in my current “place,” but that’s not it at all. What it means is I am continuing to learn and improve my life and myself, and I am continually evolving into who I am. We all are.
No matter where we are or what we are doing, we are not finished and never will be. I watch my parents in their 80s and see their continued transformation and influence on others. In being given the amazing opportunity to discuss my parents’ lives with them, I am able to see the meaning in our experiences, no matter how insignificant or negative they may appear to be at the time. I am encouraged that what is current, is meaningful and productive, but even more than that, it is a solid foundation for a future that will be even more rewarding.
Seasons change, and there is a time for, and meaning in, everything. What are you doing with your life right now? Do you see who you are now as compared with your identity many or a few years back? And, back to the questions I asked at first, where are you going, or are you currently satisfied being where you are, or both? Do you see how your current activities and interests are leading to other things?
Let’s discuss this. I am genuinely interested, and I’m sure we can encourage each other!
Related posts:
- A FATHER FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS SON
- TAKE A BREAK
- I AM REALLY LEARNING!
- TAKE FIVE: I NEED A BREAK
- DOES YOUR EDUCATION EQUAL YOUR PASSION?
On On September 25, 2011 at 9:26 am Kim J. Vinson responded with...
Great thoughts Beth, and so very true in my own life. I can see the winds of change for a new season in my life right now, and I am so excited by the possibilities.
There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “if you don’t change directions, you are likely to end up where you are headed.” I have found myself heading in the wrong direction several times in my life and stayed the course for far too long. Change can be hard and even painful at times, but the results can be rewarding.
There are times the seasons change around us when we aren’t ready for them. That happens in our physical world sometimes when we love the Fall and aren’t ready for the Winter, etc. But it can also happen in our lives in ways that profoundly affect us personally, professionally and in our relationships. Being aware of our seasons and consciously choosing when to move on can give us more control over our future and make change an effective tool for us. It has been said that change is inevitable (except from a vending machine). Embracing change and make it work for us is a key to success, fulfillment and happiness.
A few years back I made a conscious choice in my relationship which was long overdue, and later I had an unexpected change in my career. Both changes moved me into a new season of my life, and I have found that each change brought with it a new and exciting opportunity. Now I am in the best place I have ever been. I have learned that no matter where we are in life, we can either choose to remain the frog in the kettle and boil, or we can jump and take a chance. More often than not when I finally took a risk I looked back and wondered what took me so long.
KJV
On On September 25, 2011 at 10:10 pm William responded with...
I like the new season too for this is another start of things. The best one is always Spring for me. New growth where everything comes to life again. New things can sometimes bring uncertainty. It keeps you on the edge until you find out what you are about to encounter and then relief comes for it turns out not that bad at all.
New season is also my way of letting go of anything that I do not like. It is to me turning a page in my book of life.
Thanks Beth.
On On September 26, 2011 at 11:08 am Beth responded with...
Kim, I think that is a reason why we are here building this community. Oftentimes, people who are closest to us will hinder our progress or discourage our embracing the changing seasons. (That is not always the case, of course, as they can also offer wise counsel and help us to see things that we have missed.) When we know in our heart that the time has come to get up and move forward in a different way, we can take advantage of this community of positive encouragement and frequently similar experiences to allow us to make educated decisions and set ourselves up for success.
William, it is important that we realize as we go along that things very often are not as difficult as they may seem. I know, for me, getting started is the hardest part. I appreciate the positive support I get here in this community. There’s nothing like the feeling of being cheered on when our purpose is clear, and then experiencing the satisfaction when we look back.