I recently concluded a career after over 34 years and although I keep getting asked what does it feel like, I am still feeling my way through many things. The conclusion was taxing in that my schedule became very full towards the end, as many folks sought to have one last meeting with me before I checked out. Each of those meetings were also filled with a different emotion for me, as I tried to be as calculated as possible in what I would say and which words I hoped would stay behind with those that would be continuing with their work journeys. Although I kept looking forward, I was definitely caught up in the many moments in which I would reflect during a pause of a meeting and mentally walked through the thought that this would be my last meeting with this person or entity. After finishing a long last day of work, I recall coming home feeling mentally exhausted, as I had no more energy left in me for that day. It didn't help that I had just adopted a French Bulldog who now goes by the name of Jack Ryan and upon my daily returns home, we were in training with each other as we made our way through new bonding of a family pet and its new owner. Jack Ryan was definitely a blessing, without me initially not realizing it. He made me concentrate on something other than work and the finishing of a beloved career, while making me laugh with his tricks and playful antics as we acclimated to early morning walks with just the two of us. These walks have become therapeutic as I continue to contemplate this new chapter that is unfolding in front of me. My days seem to be filled with lots of appointments that I had pushed to the side previously and among my new focus, is to spend more on my own personal self care that I would have easily pushed to the side previously due to work priorities. For those of you who may be at the beginning of a new chapter or perhaps this resonates with a prior experience of a new beginning, I am sure you can all relate to being excited and a bit apprehensive all at the same time. The good part about my new beginning was that I had plenty of examples of people that went before me and I learned something from each of them about how not to wait until you were much older to begin the retirement chapter. I have been decompressing for the last several weeks and it has been a good opportunity to pause and think about what other new ventures I want to take on, at my own leisure of time. Although I do have some travel plans, I also am joining new organizations as a board member, where I hope to lend some of my knowledge, skill and experience to an entity that welcomes new ideas as well. When I started this blog, I meant what I said then as I do now, the opportunity to change is a daily decision and I hope everyone chooses wisely. You don't have to wait to begin a new chapter of anything, as it all comes down to your own desire to do something new and feeling passionate about how you want to use your talents in a different capacity. I encourage all of you to think about those things that you have been putting off for a future date and consider adding some timelines to get to the answer of when would it be a good time? Also, remember that when you have quiet down time and you begin hearing what I call "whispers from God", is the time to contemplate what will be your next step. If there is something burning inside of you that is waking you up at 3am or some other odd time that deserves your undivided attention, please take notice and give it the time it merits. Consider how far you have been on your current journey and where is it that you really want to go that doesn't feel like work. That feeling of wanting to do something that doesn't feel like work is called passion and everyone has it inside of them. I hope you listen to those whispers when they come and that you begin putting action behind those thoughts, as you prepare for your next chapter. I also wish for you to embrace the change that comes with all of this, as you set sail for the journey that now awaits as you decide to turn your own page.
