Remember the bridal shower I was planning? Well, the wedding is this Friday. I can't believe that it's really the day after tomorrow. Everything happened so fast. I'm not sure that I'm ready for all the months of preparations (mostly Laura's, but I was lucky enough to be cheering from the sidelines through it all) to be over. I know for the bride and the groom the wedding will just be the beginning, but it's strange to think that they are beginning something that I am not a part of. Don't get me wrong, I don't hope or expect to be a part of their marriage, nor do I delude myself thinking that I was a part of their relationship when they were dating, but there is no doubt in my mind that things will change.
And that led me to think. Everything changes in life: the seasons and the weather, the kind of plants that grow or go dormant, the birds that come to the backyard to eat, the fashions that people wear and the TV shows that they watch. And that reminded me that people's careers are always in a state of change, too. Very few people go to work every day and do the same exact thing for their whole lives without a single thing changing. Most people change jobs and even careers several times during their life.
So, where is my career going? I think that a planned career change can be a little like planning a wedding. There is a period of reflection and then a decision to move forward (check). Then there is a period of planning what you want to do and how you'll get there and taking care of anything that you might need to do in preparation for the hiring process or for the job itself (definitely no check yet). There are resumes and cover letters and interviews and callbacks (aka the daunting future). Then, finally, the day comes when you take the plunge and take on a brand new job (cue wedding bells). The difference is that with a wedding you know exactly what that day will be, whereas with a job search, you don't know how or when it will come about. My question to myself is whether that day will come when it's due whether or not I am ready. Or is it possible that I will miss that opportunity? Maybe it will not come or perhaps I just won't recognize it if I do not prepare.
I've been slacking off a little in the personal discovery department since I've been sick and trying to balance work with wedding preparation stuff. Even for the maid of honor, a wedding can be a big task. I think that once Saturday arrives I'll be ok. I know that things will change in my friend's relationship with the people that she is friends with, but I know that there will still be room for me in her life. And while she goes off on her honeymoon and then comes back to make her new condo into a home with her new husband, I will get back to my self discovery project and really work on finding out who I am and where I am going.
Hopefully the next post will be about what I learned from reading On Becoming Fearless. Until then, it's all wedding stuff because enjoying the moment you are in is just as important as preparing for the next one.
JMJ
And that led me to think. Everything changes in life: the seasons and the weather, the kind of plants that grow or go dormant, the birds that come to the backyard to eat, the fashions that people wear and the TV shows that they watch. And that reminded me that people's careers are always in a state of change, too. Very few people go to work every day and do the same exact thing for their whole lives without a single thing changing. Most people change jobs and even careers several times during their life.
So, where is my career going? I think that a planned career change can be a little like planning a wedding. There is a period of reflection and then a decision to move forward (check). Then there is a period of planning what you want to do and how you'll get there and taking care of anything that you might need to do in preparation for the hiring process or for the job itself (definitely no check yet). There are resumes and cover letters and interviews and callbacks (aka the daunting future). Then, finally, the day comes when you take the plunge and take on a brand new job (cue wedding bells). The difference is that with a wedding you know exactly what that day will be, whereas with a job search, you don't know how or when it will come about. My question to myself is whether that day will come when it's due whether or not I am ready. Or is it possible that I will miss that opportunity? Maybe it will not come or perhaps I just won't recognize it if I do not prepare.
I've been slacking off a little in the personal discovery department since I've been sick and trying to balance work with wedding preparation stuff. Even for the maid of honor, a wedding can be a big task. I think that once Saturday arrives I'll be ok. I know that things will change in my friend's relationship with the people that she is friends with, but I know that there will still be room for me in her life. And while she goes off on her honeymoon and then comes back to make her new condo into a home with her new husband, I will get back to my self discovery project and really work on finding out who I am and where I am going.
Hopefully the next post will be about what I learned from reading On Becoming Fearless. Until then, it's all wedding stuff because enjoying the moment you are in is just as important as preparing for the next one.
JMJ
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