One relative that hates his job has been counting down to retirement for over a decade, preferring to stay in a high stress job that takes a physical and psychological toll than float a resume or two to headhunters, even when the economy was booming. Another can spend hours agonizing over the interminable drama of tertiary relatives, rather than focusing on the aspects of life that she actually has the power to change and improve. A third goes through the same repeated motions, without ever considering new tactics, acting as if the world conspires against him, when he just isn’t ready to do the work.
It’s an exhausting co-dependent network. To call out the fearful behavior would be opening the door to addressing one’s own boundaries and limitations.
So it’s just not done.
Stretch goals and dreams are imagined lottery wins and alternate realities in which the possibilities are endless. They are fanciful what ifs that remind you of what is not, rather than opportunities to develop game plans to achieve objectives.
And I just can’t live as though the best of what life has to offer is only for everyone else. What is the point of struggle? The uphill slog helps you learn and grow, and often times you find a better destination off the map as you go.
While it’s frustrating to still be unemployed almost 9 months after a layoff, I have been busy exploring a variety of avenues that could lead to new adventures. Countless webinars, trainings and conferences have provided insight into my interests, the good life and the community-at-large. When one road doesn’t feel right I pivot and apply for different types of jobs. And along the way I’ve been picking up new information, contacts and advice that’s helping me fine tune.
Having found the sweet spot for me — where technology and human connection intersect — it’s a matter of teasing out how I can plug my skills into the space.
While I’d prefer any job hunt to be fast and easy, I know the meandering road is more likely to lead to a life that is of my own making, not one of shared inaction against situations I actually have the power to change.
The above is my second entry in the #Trust30 for the Ralph Waldo Emerson self-reliance blog challenge. The task: What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?
It’s not too late to sign up and participate.
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