Slow down & enjoy the ride

I cannot believe it has been a month since I have published a blog post! Writing and creating new pieces is always on my mind and I am constantly thinking about how I can turn my ordinary life happenings into extraordinary stories to share with you. In the midst of finding a new job, a new place to live and getting back into the community that I left, sitting down to turn my thoughts and ideas into something palpable and valuable has been more stressful than I imagined. I don't just want to tell you about my job, what I ate for dinner or what happened to me "the other day", I want to share how these experiences have contributed to who I am so that you may be able to think about your own experiences and how they have shaped your story. 

Let's be honest- the past year of my life was pretty amazing and I got to experience a lot of new things that made sharing with you so easy. The first few weeks I moved back home, I found myself anxious to put my mind to work but found little opportunity to do so. My turbulent job search caused my often flowing creativity to become stagnant and I began to think, "well damn, there goes my blog"...

If I've learned anything about myself over the past few years, it's that I do not do transitions well (I mean, who does!?). I don't like waiting for the next step and not knowing what that next step is makes for a dangerous combination of anxiety and stress. This overbearing and toxic way of thinking was getting me nowhere fast. I needed to slow down, enjoy the ride and appreciate the time I had to reflect on where I've been and where I want to go next. By pumping the brakes, I was able to focus on what I really wanted and appreciate the down time that I had to myself before life gets crazy and consuming again.

Patience, persistence, confidence and grace all sound like pretty glorious qualities to have when dealing with transitions and putting them into practice is a feat for even the most perfect person. Learning to accept where you are in the present moment is tough when you aren't exactly where you want to be but patience and persistence allows you seek out the right opportunities and make them a reality. If we can learn to replace our fear and anticipation with grace and the confidence in our ability to be successful no matter what, it is then that we may walk with the faith that things will fall in to place when the time is right.

I am so excited to start working again and I feel like a crazy person for saying this but I am most looking forward to being busy, tired, frustrated, challenged and fulfilled again. By practicing patience, persistence, confidence and grace, I was able to find a perfect job opportunity with an organization whose mission and values align with my own. In just a few weeks, I will be joining Habitat for Humanity's development team and I cannot wait to become a part of their community. The next step is finally here. I'm ready for new adventures, challenges and experiences and I hope that I can continue to share them with you- as long as you'll stay with me for the ride.