Interlude of Pleasure and Restoration #4
Heading into week 7 of this self imposed Interlude...some continued reflections and thoughts:
- I am loving spending leisure time with my family, beau and friends plus, I gotta say, spending time alone in my home is also AMAZING. That goes into both the pleasure and restoration categories. The more I get, the more I want. My whole being is craving a kind of cocooning. Perhaps so it can go deep into its core before it flowers again?
- My condo continues to become organized, the todo list gets shorter and my inner peace around having it be ready for the next chapter feels so good. That feeling when you open a drawer and everything has its place and awesome storage containers have made opening every closet a celebratory moment.. well.....yeah, that's a good feeling....if you know, you know.
- Job descriptions that say 'fast paced, energetic, good at multi-tasking' give me an instant tummy ache and MOST job descriptions say all of that! Why don't job descriptions say 'we have a healthy pace to our work environment and reasonable expectations about what can be accomplished in a 40, or even better, 35 hour work week'?!?!
- Some days are filled with hope, possibility and excitement about working again and having a new challenge and some days I wonder how on earth I will ever work again or get a job. Those are the lows.... and my lows were especially bad when I was ill last week- being ill and not having a job are not a good match for me because all my existential fears come roaring to the surface. Thankfully, Norman took great care of me and helped me hold on to the bigger perspective and as I felt better, hope reappeared, thankfully!
- It feels lovely when I get a second interview or have a great chat with a search firm consultant about a potential job opportunity. It doesn't feel nearly as good when I get that email or phone call that basically says 'your resume is impressive but we are not forwarding your application'. Sometimes, it brings up my toxic feelings from my 20's when I was an actor and I auditioned constantly and experienced rejection constantly. It's proving to be an interesting experience to unpack all of that now in my wiser more mature self...
- The consultant's life suits me for now. I have a few different fun projects, from uplifting pay equity in the arts and culture sector to helping brainstorm gender equity activities for a friend who works with the military to talking with students about leadership. I work at my own schedule- some days I start early, some days I start late or hold off until the next day. This schedule cements my belief that everyone should offer alternate work schedules for people who, like me, work at their best with that kind of flexibility....
- I'm having LOTS of the pleasure of my interlude (being in the same video as Hugh Jackson falls into this category, as do my morning WAMC Roundtable panel mornings, having time to volunteer with BRIDGE, reading awesome books and all my winter hikes) and today was a highlight. Lucie from Berkshire Arts Center contacted me a few days ago about helping her with a video they are making ahead of their April gala. It's been a long time since I've been in costume with fun make-up and a wig and yet, it all came back to me. So, so fun. It felt really good to have simple, joyful, ease-filled creative fun. More, please.
I continue to feel really blessed that I've figured out how to have this precious Interlude. I've got a few months, at this point, left to embrace it and I'm doing my best to do so, even in the low moments.
Thanks for continuing to send those pleasure, restoration and work opportunities my way.
Onwards!
