Life in the Season of Hope: Part III – Starting Over

It’s Memorial Day weekend and I have so much to tell you. But first, I thought I’d finish off this trilogy before I move on to my next post. Besides, this is going to be short one – I’m only ten days in with my new job, so there’s not much to say yet. All I know is that I made the right decision – everything is so new and challenging, I’ve rekindled the fire in me once again.

So…starting over. This is probably the easiest part of the whole walking away process! You’re probably wondering what I mean about that. It’s simple – by the time you’ve made the decision to walk away and you’ve actually followed through, there’s a whole new world out there waiting for you. With anything – a new job, a new home, a new city, country, relationship. Everything is so new, so fresh, that if you really wipe the slate clean, you’re golden. And wiping the slate clean simply means opening yourself up to all the possibilities. Easier said than done, I know. It’s all a learning experience.  Just like when we moved to a brand new place right before COVID hit. I just recently discovered the dry cleaners and my new nail place. It has taken an entire year to manage the train route, find new places to eat (that is still a work in progress).  For one year, I’d use Google Maps to lead me one mile away from the train station to our new home.

Nothing in life is perfect. To be honest, I had a mini-meltdown this week when I compared what I used to do before vs. what I am doing now. And then I realized that it was all in my head. It’s a mindset change I need to adapt to. You know, maybe I’m no longer #2 in the company. But the breadth and depth of my accomplishments as, let’s say, #15, may be more impactful in a larger company with multiple roles.

Change is difficult. And it’s certainly for the brave. But if you look around you and find that where you are no longer brings you joy, use your yearning, your craving, your thirst for something new to give you the courage to start over. It’s never too late. This from the woman who started writing books just before she turned fifty.

Where you start may not be where you end up, but it will always be better than where you came from.

Trust me on this.