I didn’t apply for any jobs this week. I didn’t have any networking chats, attend any webinars, or complete any training modules.
Instead, I chaperoned my daughter’s cross country running camp near the Boundary Waters.
There were no outlets in my cabin. As the power drained from my phone and watch, and they became useless hunks of plastic and glass, I was anxious at first. What opportunities was I missing? Then, I reframed the question: What opportunities were in front of me?
I walked without tracking my steps. I paddled a canoe across a clear lake without recording my heart rate. I saw eagles soaring and guarding their nest, and I didn’t take photos. I spent my idle time journaling and reading books instead of scrolling the internet or listening to podcasts.
With my devices shut off, I felt a new power source activate inside of me. I was present in the moment, wide open to connection with nature and the people around me. When I temporarily set down the burden of my job search, I realized how heavy it was.
I’ve been carrying a lot of stuff: hurt feelings from two layoffs, grief for lost relationships, shame around unemployment, disappointment about jobs I got rejected from, frustration at the job search process, regret over past choices, and a big dose of self-doubt. That’s some heavy baggage, it’s not helping me, and I am ready to set it down.
I am still on this journey, but going forward, I’m approaching it like a hiker on a wilderness trail: only carrying the essentials, eyes on the trail ahead, open to the beauty and possibilities ahead of me.
