Just about a month ago I was layed off of my job. At first, I was a bit taken aback by the whole thing.I had worked in my company for 10 years and was an integral part of my department. Through years of work, I had created a reputation I could be proud of- a reputation for hard work and dedication to patients that others had written off. Decisions made at a corporate level are what ended my time there, and while it is nice to know it wasn't personal, it is strange to be removed from my livelihood from a remote location.
Either way, with the lay off has come a wonderful surprise- I have time to live! So much of our time is taken up doing the work that keeps business going, that sometimes we forget (or choose not to see) how much of ourselves are taken away by the simple act of working. Even though I enjoyed my job immensely and was good at it, it took something from me- my energy and time. With that gone, the Universe is starting to show me the possibilities that await me, and some of these possibilities are things I never dreamed of.
As anyone who has read this blog or seen my Flickr page knows, I ride my bike everywhere these days. There have been many, many changes to my life as a result of this (more on that at a later date), not the least of which is discovering the many wonderful blogs out there that write exclusively about bikes and cycling in its many forms. Through these blogs, I have participated in many wonderful and thought provoking conversations with people from all over the world. Through those conversations I have come to try things I would never have tried before, and spoken to people I would never have met.Just the other day, I received an invitation to be a regular contributor to one of the SF local bicycle blogs I frequent, Vélo Vogue. Needless to say, I jumped on the opportunity! The honor of being asked is huge, but the opportunity to write and shoot about something that has become such an integral part of my spiritual journey to an audience around the world is something that could never have happened before I was layed off. There was no time to devote to truly pursuing this path, I could ride but not write. There are only so many hours in the day, and they are usually all spoken for.
After months of wondering how to make my life look more like what my 'self' feels like, I now have the opportunity to act on it. Had I sat down and tried to map out how my life should look, I am not sure that this is what I would have pictured, and yet, it is exactly what I needed. What an amazing blessing! I would be a fool to not follow through.
Soooo, if you would like to see where the bicycle part of my journey is taking me, or where a bicycle could take you, please follow along. If you can, find some time that is just for you and ask the Universe to send you something that you can work on to create a world that looks like what it should feel like to you. You never know what will get sent your way!
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6 comments:
if i've ever had a proper vacation, i don't remember it. but being between jobs: that's living! it's amazing how much life you can pack into those interstitial spaces. enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
I liken it to spring. Time is like sunshine, you need it to grow. I wonder how much is never realized by not having time to just let things happen? How many people could be artists or rocket scientists or world class athletes if only they had enough time at that pivotal moment to recognize the possibilities?
What a positive way to look at it. A friend of mine got laid off and a month later, found a new job that's a better fit for her talents and pays more -- sometimes something that seems negative is actually just a chance for you to take a new direction, as you said. Good luck!
Wow, Adrienne, you are amazing! Congratulations on the layoff, I must say, I completely understand. You see, the same thing happened to me, a company I worked for for 12 years, in middle management, of product design. It was great, travel, pay, all the perks and I remember how absolutely inspired rather than just energetically rushed my life became once I had unlocked the handcuffs on my time, all the while I too loved my job, and thought they were bracelets. It is amazing how blessings do come in odd packages sometimes. And to have the wherewithal to go with it and find yourself in a new rewarding place, bravo!
Trisha- Funny thing is, I knew weeks before that it was coming and I was getting impatient for it to happen! Something told me that I needed it to happen before the good stuff could come along.
Kat- While i could take credit for all of it, the fact is I am amazingly lucky in having a wonderful husband. He is so supportive of all the things I am trying, and is able to support the family (financially) on his own for the first time in years. If it were not for that, I'd have to huff it for a job : ) But.... a blessing is a blessing and I will take them where I can get them ; )
I'm late the conversation but I really appreciate your thoughts. Layoffs are a possibility for so many of us. I made it through the first round but will there be a second. Your mindset is so healthy and I hope it I get dinged that I am able to accept it as an opportunity. I faced a huge career hurdle several years ago but it turned out to be an open door that I walked through and thrived. My life has changed again since then. I got married and am continuing to live as "we" instead of must "me". It's all about being open to change.
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