New Beginnings

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

                                                                                        - Seneca 

 

Let's start where the end and the beginning intersect.

I guess I'm part of "The Great Resignation." In fairness I didn't exactly quit, I retired. In full disclosure, I worked in a public school system and retired in March so I guess some might argue my language here. The decision to retire came as my parents always said it would; "You'll know when it's time," they said with confidence. It was true. A year before my decision I had been someone who couldn't even imagine how I'd live life without the work I was doing. As 2020 neared the end all the signs came to me at once; suddenly I was the person who didn't know how I could live one more day doing the work I was doing. By March of 2021, I retired. 

This wasn't a simple decision, but the reasons were stacked that it was the right one. I did worry about the impact of my decision on others. Finally, I decided this was a time I needed to do what was right for me. I didn't have a classroom of students as I was working in a teacher leader position, but retiring in March isn't often the vibe of education. For reasons that don't matter to this essay, I moved on to the next chapter of my life. It turns out, it was a far better decision for me than I ever imagined. 

If you put the word "retire" into a thesaurus you will get words like depart, exit, relinquish, remove, resign, or separate. They all seem very final. I suppose in a sense retirement is a little final, but only in the way a chapter is final. While it is one end, it is also a beginning.

As I moved into this new chapter, I did what I usually do when I take on something new, I looked for mentors. It surprised me how hard it was to find people who were writing about this next phase in my life which felt like a new beginning. For the first time since I started college, it seemed there was so much possibility ahead. It was like being eighteen again. I had the freedom to find new ways to fill my days - AND, bonus, I had the knowledge I had gained in all the years since. 

In the year and a half since I joined The Great Resignation, I've been reading books I can find, listening to podcasts that work in this transition, and discovering the gifts of a life moving forward. The road has been enjoyable. Now I find myself here doing what I love: writing. Though I'm sure this space will take shape in the weeks and months to come, I plan to share the little nuggets that help me move forward. My hope is they will help you too. Here are some of the ways I've found useful in growing into this new space. They will likely be the feature in the upcoming posts as the blog takes shape. 

Find Inspiration: No matter what your new chapter might be, I believe you'll find inspiration here to help you trust and step (a motto you'll hear more about very soon).

Get Curious: For me, curiosity has always been a part of my life. As I transition into this new chapter, I have found it to be the best way forward. 

Seek the Stretch: For me, this new chapter has given me the ability to really find out how I'd like to stretch my world. In this space I'll share the different ways I discover toward continuous growth. As Serena Williams reminds reminds us, we are always "evolving toward" things that are important to us. 

Create: The pandemic brought many of us back to creation. There are so many ways to create: design home spaces, paint, write, bake, build, and so many others. I know this topic will come up as we move forward together.

Make Connections:  As you take the next step, find people who are walking your path. They can be people on a similar journey or friends who are just willing to walk beside you for a bit. 

Discover Mentors: This one has been harder than I anticipated, but find the mentors to guide you in your next step. I'll share recommendations of posts, books, podcasts and other mentors to assist in walking a new path. 

Prioritize You: It sounds selfish, but it isn't. It doesn't mean to stop doing things for other people. Prioritizing YOU makes it easier to give to others. If you're going to make a transition, it's essential to carve time to do the work. 

As you can see, this isn't an end at all. Welcome to the new beginning. The past year has given me plenty of time to reflect; I have come to realize I have always been IN Progress. It's the best way to live a life. Whether you're part of The Great Resignation, planning a transition, trying to take the next brave step, or just want to be inspired, stick around. I hope you'll find plenty to fill your soul right here as we chase light together and live our imperfect, IN PROGRESS lives.