Thursday, March 23, 2017

Journaling || Roots, Interests, and Limitations


For making a big decision about how you are going to spend the majority of your minutes in a day, especially in such a way that you might be provided compensation for your time, I have always failed pretty miserably. I think too big, I think too small, I hop around with ideas, or I avoid thinking at all and keep with the status quo for fear of change.
My best advice is to go back to your root values and strongest interests, and then be really honest with yourself about your limitations.
That was my starting point when I searched for employment in Peoria last November. I took 2 hours of time for myself at a coffee shop and explored my thoughts regarding those principles. I didn’t go above and beyond, and wish mentally for anything more than what fit within those principles. I made lists. Then a spreadsheet. Then letters. I reached out and made contact. Then I moved on. I let the universe respond–but honestly I was too distracted with the business of life to even wait and bite my fingers. I considered my effort that afternoon to be the first in, at least, 10 afternoons.
A phone call came two hours later, then a 1 hour conversation followed. 24 hours later I had an in office interview. I could hardly catch my breath. I started a position with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra precisely two weeks later.


It has blessed me, in so many ways. It is not perfect, because no endeavor, relationship, or community is–but I commit every day to be grateful and enjoy what I am doing. I have been holding my brand new routines, friendships, and experiences dearly to my heart. It is all better than I could have ever expected. With the hospitalization and unexpected death of my mother the same week that I began work, it was either sink or swim. I could only choose to swim–and the current I could keep with. After all, these are the majority of my minutes in my days, so they need to keep me afloat.

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