Humility can be one of the biggest challenges of starting over at any age. Having to learn new things about yourself, others, and new situations can feel intimidating and at times unwelcoming but it is necessary. Avoiding this part of the journey can leave you in a place that was supposed to be the beginning of your new journey. Instead, it becomes a recycled adventure in which you already know the path.
I started over in my career and I was too embarrassed to share that with most people. In my heart, I know that I was doing the right thing for me but I didn’t want to have to explain that to anyone. The truth is, I really don’t know how to explain that I had taken a detour from what I thought that I wanted.
When I was younger, I wanted to be almost everything that I saw but I had no connection to it. As I walk down memory lane, it feels like I wanted to be something new almost every week. I wanted to be a songwriter, an actress, a nurse, a paralegal, a psychologist, a translator, and more. I wanted to be anything that looked and sounded exciting, interesting, or impressive to others. Unfortunately, I never really thought about what I wanted or what made me feel alive inside.
I chose jobs or career paths based on my skills and their availability. I can vividly remember dreaming up my career path on my first real job after college. I dreamed of how I would work my way up without having one conversation with anyone about the possibility of it happening. The truth is in retrospect that it was not possible because the road to achieving my goals was not even connected. I wasn’t humble enough to ask questions and learn from those who I aspired to be like.
Somehow I convinced myself that sharing my goals would make me a less attractive employee and threaten the job that I had. As I am learning more about my new journey, I realize that I have to humble myself and be willing to have a conversation with someone other than myself about my goals. I have to be willing to share my thoughts with someone and receive insight into my desired path.
What about you? Have you humbled yourself to share your thoughts with someone and receive insight about your path? Who are you seeking wise counsel for on your journey to your Fresh Start? Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Get what you need to be a better version of yourself. Tell me who do you plan to talk to in the next week about your chosen path.
Just Another Day's Journey 