Posted on

#Cultivate2012 Path

Path: Some times the best path chooses you. — Patrick Rhone What path chose you this year?

Cultivate chose me. The call to cultivate my life into something worth loving, to feel like I’m thriving, beckoned me. I was frustrated with the status quo of my circumstances and situation. I lived my life with regret, depression, resentment, anger, anxiety, and tension. My health and relationships degraded. I needed to stop living with that negativity and start focusing on my health and well-being. I needed to listen to the signs and symptoms my body was presenting. I needed to focus on my relationships and dreams. I felt broken and alone — I lived in a house with six other people, but I still felt loneliness.

I may not have made any head way with my business ideas, but I’ve realized I’m very fortunate regardless. I found that I have enough within myself to clear this untrodden path. It’s taken a lot of time — and will continue to take time — to hack down the brush and carve my way to my destiny. Yet, I’ve come to terms with this fact and have made peace with the process of this journey. My path has brought me the foresight to enjoy the process instead of stressing about the length of my journey. I’m cultivating my life worth loving one day at a time, and I’m going to take each day as they come.

Share
Posted on

#Reverb11: Path

Path (Inspired by Patrick Rhone): Patrick Rhone tweeted “some times the best path chooses you.” What path has chosen you?

Never in my life would I have imagined that I would be considering taking root in Georgia — ever. I thought happiness would be further north, in the portion of New Hampshire. I reluctantly moved here considering it a temporary move, a short stay until we got on our feet. I didn’t plan to walk this path, but it chose me. Rather than making a dash for I95 North, I’m slowly meandering down a barely worn dirt road. During this year in Northwest Georgia, I’ve fallen in love with how graceful the landscape appears during the changing seasons. While I doubt I’m going to get a decent amount of snowfall in the winters, I’ve also discovered that it isn’t just about my wants and needs — it’s about my kids, too. Do you have any idea how much my oldest would despise me if we moved somewhere that would fall below 30 for a couple of months a year? The temperature drops below 65, and he’s whining about the cold. (I’m actually quite convinced that he’ll move back to Florida when he grows up.)

There’s tons of land. The planting zone allows for all sorts of delicious plant-life to be grown — including majestic cherry blossoms. I’m close enough to the city of Chattanooga, and I’m fairly close to Atlanta. The people are friendly and offer Southern hospitality. I was looking for small town charm, mountainous landscapes, and sprawling farms, and the path led me here.

Share
Posted on

New Paths

You may or may not have noticed by now that I schedule most posts for 11AM Eastern Daylight Savings Time. That being said, I’m not here right now — I’m in the middle of orientation for my new job. Today’s my first day. I may not be on the floor, doing the tasks in my job description, but I’m getting paid for my time today — so, it’s my first day. If I don’t want to, I don’t have to hunt for a new job. However, even my personnel manager recognized that this is a temporary fix for me. She also said that even overqualified applicants need to pay their bills. I couldn’t be more relieved. I may be overqualified for this job, and my part-time status certainly won’t bring me to the middle class, but a job’s a job. I need to get back into the workforce in order to make ends meet between now and when I can find a full time, first shift job that will afford me a more comfortable living. This will also afford me the ability to be more selective with my job search.

I’m in for a new adventure, indeed. I imagine I’ll have a work schedule at the end of the day, and my son starts third grade in public school on Thursday morning. By virtue of preparation, the new school year will actually start tomorrow night. I’ll be sure he’s got lunch packed and clothes picked out (he’s got a new back to school outfit on the way from family), and we’ll make sure everyone’s tucked in early for an early start. I think he’s most looking forward to recess, and I don’t blame him — my elementary school playgrounds were glorified parking lots, whereas he’ll have all sorts of cool playground equipment to amuse himself while making new friends. Our routines will be changing dramatically during the next couple of weeks, but I know these changes will benefit all of us. Change doesn’t have to be evil. We should embrace change because we’re constantly growing and changing. Our needs change from one phase of life to the next. I’m sure most of us are glad we’ve changed into able-bodied adults who don’t need to cry to express our needs or distress. So don’t be afraid of change. Change is good.

Share