by : lacylit10 Life Lessons

Lull.

A lull is defined as a temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity. I’m in a writing lull. Not because I don’t have anything to write about, but because I have so many thoughts going through my head that I can’t pin them down into a single flowable post. 

I have a personality that has been described as having “a rich inner life.” I think some people would say I’m someone who over analyzes everything … In my defense, I do most of it quietly without anyone knowing, so it’s not like I’m annoying people with my constant questioning of who, what, when, where, why, and how everything in life happens. Okay…maybe I do annoy some people with it. 😬

Between a new job, working with new people, gaining new knowledge, and new experiences, my brain has been working overtime. There is so. much. to learn. 🤯 

Overall, life is good. And busy.

But I miss being here. Writing allows me to process deep thoughts. It seems that I’ve been so busy with the new that I don’t have much energy for the deep. As much as I miss it, I think, it’s for the best. New and deep processing may make me feel overwhelmed, where for the time being, I just feel…whelmed.

This has always been a place where I vulnerably write about things I discover about myself, about people, about leadership, and about life. Not being here has almost made me feel like I’m not improving in any of these areas, because I haven’t needed to take the time to write and sort my thoughts. 

But that’s not true at all. 

I’m in a phase of applying knowledge I’ve gained over the past few years, seeing it being implemented, and watching it play out IRL. This is exactly what I’ve been working so hard for.

This career is one that I never imagined I would have. When you’re in high school, advisors make you feel like college right after high school is the only answer to becoming successful. I was not ready for that. I never envisioned my career, let alone landing in the C-suite. I just fell into a job that I became increasingly passionate about. It was fun, challenging, rewarding, and I wanted to devote so much time and energy to it.

I worked so hard to climb so high that I’m feeling restless while settling in to enjoy the view. But this is a transitional period. Adjusting to something new is always at least a little uncomfortable. They say that great things don’t happen within your comfort zone … It seems like I am in nearly a constant state of discomfort. Which means that great things lie ahead. And I have no doubt that they do. ☺️

by : lacylit10 Life Lessons

Mastered.

At this time last year, a masters degree was only vaguely on my radar. I started gathering information on degree programs just a few weeks before I became registered for my first class at Brandman University on October 24th. I was looking at several different schools, but time commitment and cost were holding me back. The MyPath program gave me exactly what I wanted: control, flexibility, and affordability.

I gave myself one year to complete 12 classes. I completed 7 days short of 9 months. 🤯

A masters degree is something I kind of always wanted, but never really thought I would get. Especially, since I didn’t finish my bachelors degree until I was 33.

It’s been almost 4 weeks since I’ve been done, and it hasn’t hit me yet. Life has been so busy. The weeks have flown by, and I wonder, “how did I do school on top of all this?” So much personal time was sacrificed. It was so much work. And there has been nothing to signify the accomplishment. It almost feels as though it never happened.

No, I don’t want a party. I am not seeking recognition or praises. But it is a big deal for it not to feel like a big deal.

Bettering my professional life has been my main focus for nearly 10 years. I’m ready to stop climbing and settle into my success. I’ve made a lot of personal sacrifices over that timeframe, and now I want a more complete quality of life.

Right now though, what I really want, is a vacation.

Fortunately, I have one scheduled in just a few short weeks. And I am beyond excited.

The funny thing about school was that all I did was read and write about things that interest me. This is why I was successful in completing so quickly. I love reading and writing! But I have really missed reading books of my choosing and writing here.

It’s been a heck of a year and a half.

Beyond school, I learned a lot about myself. In learning about myself, I learned a lot about others as well. With school off my plate, I will have more energy to deal with system dysfunction and more strength to withstand the external factors trying to take me down. And you know what? I feel ready for the fight. Bring. It. On. 💪🏼