Are you a fence jumper? Do you ever feel suffocated by the expectations of others or your trapped in what you think you’re supposed to do? It’s easy to feel pressure of what we are supposed to do with our lives. When we veer from the path people assume we should (and will) take it can trigger angst and judgement. To take that leap in the direction we believe we are intended to take can be scary. It can also be a beautiful, life altering experience. Ask yourself, am I bound by the expectations and standards of others (or even myself)? To be able to know how to push beyond external factors to gain a sense of authentic living is CRAZY important. It can happen!
We are intended to have different seasons in life? This is to have us grow, learn and avoid a mundane state of living. That’s no good, no bueno, no to the no squared. Just step away from that one.
Are you trapped in the box with a desire to GET OUT of it?
Fourteen years ago I started my job as a high school SAC, essentially an addictions counselor with a gazillion other hats. I stepped into it with a flurry of emotion. There was angst, gratitude, excitement and humility. Holy crap, I was in for the ride of my life. I forged forever friendships with the people I worked with. They continually challenge me to be a better person. It has been fourteen years of learning from the students I’ve worked with. So many have faced challenges that challenged me. There is the strive to care deeper and live fuller.
It has been a path that has, without question, changed my life. It was a scary first step, but it’s one that I have no regrets taking. How amazing is it to have a chapter in life that seems impossible to fit all the experiences, memories and craziness into anything less than a thousand pages? Wow.
If we don’t dig deep we can’t get too much depth out of life and that’s a bummer.
There are those that have the call to rock out their twenty five or thirty years to teach, be in the corporate world or at home to raise kids or whatever. Their passion and their purpose is consistent and that’s amazing. They have the ears of others and possess an ability to make a dent for change and growth. Among this group, there are many box burners. They refuse to conform. They buck the norm and define, inspire and cause change. Oh how I love these people.
For others, they move around a heap because they are unsettled and can’t fully get their stoke on in life. Why? They don’t listen. Substance will take a back seat to fear. They wander or refuse to commit out of uncertainty or fear. These peeps have a hard time leaving a mark that is permanent. This is a rut that can be hard to get out of. Difficult, but not impossible.
Then, there are the fence jumpers. There are many who are part of this third crew. Unfortunately, there are many more who have the potential to be, but fear hinders them. Bummer! Fear can kick out butts.I’ll tell you what, jumping that fence is one of the most (scary) and exhilarating experiences in life.
Hello, my name is Erin and I’m a fence jumper…
I am on the brink of a season in my life where I will be jumping another fence. It’s kicking up the same feelings I felt 14 years ago. I’m nervous, a tad anxious and crazy stoked. It’s a leap that I believe I’m supposed to be taking. In June I will be hang up my hat as the Drug Lady and officially rock out the title of Goodness Chick.
As I walk the hallways of the school I’ve put thousands of miles on my shoes my mind wanders through this crazy amazing journey. It has been awesome. I’ve been entrusted with kids hearts. They have confided fears, challenges and joys. I’ve also chatted with kids who are no longer on this earth. That’s a hard one to digest. There are those that I’ve thrown challenges out only to watch some soar and do magnificent things.
To work in education is an amazing crazy intense gift. It’s not for the weak of heart or the thin skinned. Know being an educator is a gift. It has the ability to change your life if you allow it to.
How to push beyond external factors to gain a sense of authentic living…
Want to know one of the best ways to transition from thinking about how you want to do life and actually doing it? Goal setting. Seriously. It allows you to go from talk to action. Check out a great article on how to set goals and get things rolling.
It is so easy for life to become mundane. We have to fight for our day to day or year to year to not become a blur. Life cannot become a chore. Holy cow, it’s too short for that to happen. Grade your self on a scale of 1 to 10. Are you in a good place? Are you content with your career? Your relationships? Your attitude? What needs a change or a tweak? Write out how we you see yourself in six months and five years. How do you fill the gap?
That first baby step ultimately leads to a big giant leap!
Life is not a chore. It is not a blur. Life is not a time clock for us to wait it out. Blah! Push forward. Remind yourself that change (and growth) is always an option. As long as we are alive and with breathe change is possible.. I remind myself of that constantly. As today will soon be tomorrow, refuse to allow another day to slip by without that step towards authentic living. It can happen!
As a new day approaches followed by a new week, may we refuse to go quietly and may our living be authentic
