Friday Free-For-All!
Welcome to the weekend, at least for those with traditional schedules. In my new blogging schedule, Friday is about finding fun and creative spark in everyday life.
However, due to some events this week, I’m kicking off Friday Free-For-All a little differently than planned. There’s a good reason.
Change is hard, especially when it’s not planned. But sometimes that push is exactly what we need to get unstuck.
Without going into detail, my job situation is changing. (No, I wasn’t fired, in case you were wondering.). This wasn’t unexpected, but the timing ended up being dictated by others, not what I wanted.
Losing a job, regardless of circumstances, is never easy. Financially, of course, there’s a real fear of how to pay bills, find insurance, and plan for the future. In a weird and wonderful way, though, there’s also something freeing about being forced into a change.
I am now job hunting because I know my apartment complex expects rent to still be paid. But I choose to view this transition time as a good thing. I have an opportunity to dream again, to remember what mattered before I got sidetracked by a job that was supposed to be temporary.
Since my impending loss of paycheck, I’ve spent the week regrouping. I have a running list of things I need to follow up on, questions to ask. As I’ve thought about the future, I realize this career bump-in-the-road can be a good thing.
Here’s why I believe this time of change will ultimately be a freeing experience.
FEAR HOLDS US BACK – Change makes many people cringe, even if it’s something as simple as having to take a detour on the morning commute. With big life changes, fear of losing the familiar can paralyze you. Fear of the unknown causes you to put off making decisions, even if they might be good for you. Having someone else push you into change means you have to make decisions. There’s no more putting off asking “What’s next?”
TIME TO REFLECT – While going through the everyday motions of work, school, or family, it’s easy to lose sight of values and goals. With the extra time I’ll have on my hands, I look forward to taking reevaluating these for myself. I plan to use my time away from work to focus on things I need to do to take care of myself physically and mentally. After seven years at a job that was meant to be temporary, taking time to focus on goals and personal needs will go a long way in helping me figure out my next step towards a long-term career.
GET ORGANIZED – I hate to clean, but the older I get, the more I know having things organized boosts my creative energy. Whether it’s my desk or craft supplies, things tend to get cluttered easily. And, let’s not even talk about my closet or kitchen cabinets. While I have this time, I plan to go through everything in my apartment. The goal is to get rid of as much as possible so there’s less to clean. What I do keep will be better organized.
REIGNITE FUN – As many of you probably know, when you feel stuck, whether in a job, relationship, or other big life change, it’s easy to lose your passion for things that used to make you happy. While I know I can’t buy tickets for concerts or take off on vacation now, there are plenty of ways I can get fun back in my life, at least the low-cost, easy to do at home kind of fun. I’ve always loved to read, but because I was menatally exhausted after work, I only read for a short time until I couldn’t stay awake. I struggled to get out my craft supplies and work on a project because I didn’t see the value in it. Now, I get to read on my own time, and I have new ideas for craft projects for Christmas. Freeing myself from the stress of my job has already sparked my creative pursuits.
NO MORE SETTLING – I started graduate school with the hope that my Masters degree would lead to a teaching position at a community college or some similar academic position. Of course, I graduated during the middle of the last recession, and schools started cutting positions rather than hiring. When my student loans came due, I had to take the first job that came along. This was meant to be short-term, but that was seven year ago. Now, I have the chance to think outside the box. I know more about what I want in life, but more importantly, I know how to think more creatively when it comes to possible career options. I can look beyond the job description.
While not having a job is scary and a big-time life change, that change could turn out to be the best thing that’s happened to me in some time. I know I have to find a new job; bills don’t pay themselves. But for now, I choose to take the high road. I am using this time to get organized, take care of myself, and figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
Friday Free-For-All starts, after all, with being free to live a creative life.
***What big changes have you faced recently? What did you learn about yourself or others during those times?***
Reignite your creativity!
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