Remember The Excitement?
It's the season for graduations. Are there are smiling faces of recent graduates filling up your news feeds on social media? Or maybe, like me, you have someone in your family graduating. My nephew just graduated a few weeks ago and I it seems like just yesterday he and my daughter were crawling around outside in the grass. I am not sure how he has graduated when I have not aged in 18 years.
As I look at the smiling faces on Facebook or the graduation party invites that fill my kitchen, I can’t help but be filled with many emotions as I think about the next steps each of them will take going forward-excitement, joy, fear, happiness and curiosity. I am curious if the path they start on will be the one they look at when they are 40? What does their journey look like? Often, it’s not a linear journey but one of twists and turns and I can’t wait to see where theirs leads.
This last week I have found myself deep in thought of my own journey. Reflecting on my own high school graduation. What were my hopes and dreams? Where did I expect my life to go? I clearly remember the feeling of anticipation and excitement. I didn’t know what the future would hold, but I was ready and thrilled to be setting out on my own journey.
I entered college and focused on a degree in marketing. Looking back can’t believe how much I learned over those years. Fast forward 20 years (yikes!) and I sit here blessed. Reflecting on my journey brings a smile to my face. The anticipation. The trials. The failures. The successes. All of it. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I wonder if the excited 18 year old would have guessed where life took me.
If you know about my journey, I was gifted with the opportunity of a lifetime 5 years ago. A lay off pushed me to do something I have wanted to do for a long time but never really talked about. I could pursue my dream of coaching and developing others.
This was a time when I was stressed-a family, mortgage, no job and two young children. Unsure of where my future would take me, I took time to pause and think through what would give me the excitement and curiosity. Just like years ago.
Do you remember the excitement and thrill you felt as a young graduate? Is it missing or still there? Maybe like me, its lurking under the surface and you need to let it rise. Wouldn’t it be great if you could look at the world like you did back then? What would that feel like? Or look like?
I hope you can look back fondly on your journey. And maybe even approach your future with the wonder, excitement and curiosity of a high school graduate.
To Your Growth, Development and Amazing Potential,
Lisa Hayes
