About a year ago I started considering my desire to find a new job. I wanted to feel challenged, and appreciated. I wasn't miserable, but I was just getting by, and I was in a rut intellectually. Every day I struggled to feel the passion that I previously felt towards my work, and I could tell that it was ceaselessly dwindling. Eventually, necessity drove me to begin my job search. I started seeking a job change A WHOLE YEAR AGO, and this month, I finally got THE job; the job that answered my prayers; the job that will provide; the job that will challenge me.
After a year, which included days worth of time spent filling out hundreds of applications, a handful of call backs that led to interviews, and just three official job offers; After more than two months without an income; I finally landed the job that is going to change my life.
This is week one, you guys, and I can already tell that it's going to change my life! I feel like I couldn't be more peaceful, renewed, and ecstatic about a job.
Okay, so I've updated about that HUGE answered prayer. Now I'm thinking about what's next. What's going to take place in my life from this point forward? What other things do I need to pay attention to that I have possibly neglected while I was so busy waiting for a job?
Going back to my reference about my last blog post…
In that post, I mentioned some questions that I would soon take the time to answer, and I think they are very relevant to where my head is at now. So here goes:
1. Where Am I?
Right now, I'm in such a good place. I am at the beginning of some big ventures in the professional/academic areas of my life. I am happily investing as much as I can, as often as I can, in the lives of my family and friends, and I am receiving blessings from all of them all the time as well. I can honestly say that I am super content and peaceful.
2. What Do I Need to Leave Behind?
I think the biggest thing I need to leave behind is any type of regret or doubt about all of the huge decisions that I have made this year. I know that I've had to make some really tough calls about some really big adjustments, and I need to release myself from feeling some kind of anxiety about which were the right decisions, and whether or not the timing was good or bad, etc. I need to stop over-thinking things.
3. Who Do I Want to Be and How am I Going to Get There?
I am employee, colleague, student, daughter, sister, aunt, friend…and I don't really want to be anything different at the moment, I just want to be all of those things, and do it well. I'm just going to keep working hard to be myself and enjoy the people around me.
4. Where is There Room For Growth?
I need to work on cultivating the right relationships with the people in my life, and allowing myself to be vulnerable more often. I also need to work on getting back into shape. I want to get out of my habit of watching TV or a movie to relax, and instead read a good book, FOR FUN--no textbooks. I want to continue to grow at my new job. I want to work harder to be present wherever I am at the moment, not preoccupied with anything else.
5. Who Do I Want By My Side?
Obviously God is more than just "by my side," but I definitely want to continue to pay attention to him.
Also, my family, my best friends, and maybe even some new friends; …but mainly God and my family.
6. What Are My Motivations?
My faith motivates me and gives me the strength to face the toughest things. I wouldn't have been able to write this same story had I not relied entirely on my faith carrying me through the thick of my crazy year, and not just the one year, but my life as a whole. God's guidance and provision is perfect.
My family motivates me to want to care more and love harder.
My friends motivate me to keep seeking new perspective and to make having fun a priority from time to time.
My academic goals motivate me to try to achieve good grades and actually take my knowledge with me after I pass each class.
My professional goals motivate me to apply my work ethic and integrity to every task, and not avoid my challenges.
My desire to always move forward and continually attempt to feel more and more alive is what pushes me through each day with a healthy sense of humor and streak of ornery optimism.
