You discover who you really are by following what you really want.
-Tama Kieves
At the end of 2016, I was given the news that I would be laid off in June 2017 with severance pay. While I am keeping my eye out for interesting job listings, I am also preparing for the possibility of a couple months off. With that thought in mind, the next six months, I would like to train and focus on painting so that I can fully take advantage of any time off. I would also like to explore my motivations and passions and consider my next career move.
Over the course of this time, I will publish some updates on my progress here. These updates will include athletic training, art, and revelations about my career goals. To begin, I’ve outlined some goals; I will revisit these at the end of March.
Months 1 – 3: Fitness Plan
· Shoulder strength training + step ups and squats/lunges 2x per week
· Cardio (jogging, swimming) 2x per week
· Yoga + core (10 – 15 mins everyday + 1x class)
· Climbing (2x per week in the gym)
· Weekend: hiking, climbing, skiing as weather allows or gym
General athletic goals: lead climbing (get on lead…), get out surfing 5 times, and sleep enough and eat well
General career goals: read and journal
General art goals: sketch every day and 1 painting per week
It feels good getting those down on paper! I’m a little lethargic right now because I’m still sore from having my wisdom teeth removed before the holidays. I did go to PGSF (climbing gym) on Sunday to celebrate New Year’s Day and got 10 easy (5.8–5.10a) short topropes in and some yoga. The main difficulty I’m having is eating and my energy is low.
I also started reading Inspired & Unstoppable: Wildly Succeeding in Your Life’s Work. I’m not very far along, but I think I’ll like it. My initial thoughts relate to the energy of money and the idea that compensation for work is compensation for energy, so when we spend or save money, we’re exchanging or saving energy that we’ve expelled. The idea of following my heart in my life’s work and performing a “higher calling” is something I’ve considered incompatible with financial security. There are moments in my current role when I feel I am performing from my most authentic self, mostly when I am working on process or issue resolution. If I think about money in terms of compensation for my energy, something just seems right about spending as much time as possible on activities that truly inspire me. My career today is not devoid of passion, but it's now a priority for me to identify the skills I love using most and the work that truly makes my heart sing.