Career planning recap

Today ends the two month period devoted (according to my 6 Changes for 2010) to researching and planning my career path. The undertaking has been partly successful: I have found inspiration and made a tentative choice, but still not a clear idea how to navigate. For the past two or three weeks, I have also succeeded in committing time to this plan—at least half an hour after work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I have found the theme spilling into other aspects of my life (writing and social time, for example) by both intention and serendipity. This is a good sign. For now I need to trust the process will perpetuate, and the way will become clearer. It is a journey after all. I can't expect to see the destination yet, but must keep my eyes on the path.

At the beginning of October I was struggling to keep my head up. For the month at 100 Words I decided to concentrate on the theme of beauty, believing it might lift my spirits. If you read the entries, consider nominating one to be featured on the home page. The writing took an interesting route. It began with relatively concrete philosophical musing on the idea of beauty, but by the end I was looking more abstractly at aspects of beauty in daily life.

On about October 4 I experienced a distinct energy shift, and it persisted through the month. It would be nice to think this happened cognitively as a result of writing about beauty and planning for the future, and no doubt those are contributing factors, however I still think the main cause is the dietary supplements I began taking when sick in late September. Sometimes we have to run into trouble before we realize there is a problem.

I'm still amazed at how much energy I have. Normally free time is a study in frustration between what I want to accomplish and what I am capable of. This weekend I wasted very little time. I grocery shopped, finished warping the loom, went to knit and chat at All Strung Out, did a reconnaissance stroll in search of a potential "sit spot" and took some pictures there (photo above), found a way to ingest unpalatable Psyllium husk in a delicious, nutritious dessert (Oat-Carrot Kheer), caught up with some friends on LiveJournal, spent an uncomfortable hour under the loom tying up heddles, met my writing partner and got inspired to resume working on my novel, thoroughly cleaned the bathroom for the first time in months, decided that was enough work for one weekend, then proceeded to wash all the dishes and clean the kitchen.

I suspect society's value for productivity (and consumption) distracts us from more important things, so I won't say it was a productive weekend. It was a weekend in which I did various things I wanted to do, plus some mildly unpleasant but necessary things.

Danny has been away these past two weekends, but I wasn't lonely. I got to spend time with Paula at All Strung Out yesterday and Sarah at the Red Brick Café today. Otherwise I enjoyed my own company for a change. What an incredible relief.

Please, let this stick.

I have many ideas and want to start many new projects. That's the way I was as a young person. Recently I have learned the discipline of focus to help slog through the mire of daily dysthymia, but it is equally important now to refrain from distraction, profuse dabbling, squandering this unusual vitality, forgetting priorities, and burning out.

Next post I'll address the last of 6 Changes for the year.