Sabbatical Spring, Sabbatical Summer

Many of you who know me know that I have been looking for a job for the last six months or so.  Not just any job.  I was looking for that vocation that would nourish my soul and intellect, allow me to share my gifts, and also provide for my physical/material needs.  I have spent the last ten years working in whatever position I found myself, just to pay the bills.  It was time to step aside from the path on which I'd been treading.

Sabbath, sabbatical, rest.  That's what I needed, and I am so grateful to have been granted it.  My wonderful husband supported my need to rest.  All the years of unhappiness at work, the feeling that I had never reached my potential, the lack of respect...all of the things that can wear on one over the years...these were allowed to heal.  The chipmunk in the morning, the chickadees in the afternoon, and the wind through the trees all day long became my main companions during the daytime.  I breathed, stuck to an exercise program, ate well, and rested.  My mind began to settle.  Ah.

The first two months I busied myself on house projects: installed a new kitchen floor, painted every room, landscaped the yard.  The next three months I decided it was time to really look for paid work, and I spent anywhere from two to seven hours a day on that effort.  Frustrated, unhappy with what I found, wondering how long I could go without an income...all of these were at the forefront of my job search. 

Then, one day about a month or so ago, I decided to really stop.  I sat myself down and asked, "What is it you really want to do?  Forget about the jobs that are out there...what do YOU want?"  Now, I am the type of person described as a Scanner by Barbara Sher.  This means that I am a seeker who tries many different things, and often has trouble settling on one because there are so many other exciting choices!  "If I do THIS, then I won't be doing THAT!"  What this also means is that I put a lot of pressure on situations to be perfect.  Time to drop that mumbo jumbo.  Back to the question I asked myself, "What is the essence of what you want?"

1.  I like to mentor and help others.  "But I don't want to be a counselor or therapist." Stop worrying about what you don't want!
2.  I want a position that allows me to move within the community, rather than sit at a desk all day. "Those jobs don't pay much!"  Breathe. 
3.  A position with respect, where I may use my skills and creativity to forge new directions.  "That takes years...you'll have to do a job you don't like if you want to get to that point with any employer." Sigh.
4.  I like the higher education environment. "But you don't have a graduate degree...all those jobs require graduate degrees and you can't afford to just go to school now."  It's OK, keep going.
5.  Maybe I'd like teaching adults.  "Good luck with that...see #4."  Just stop, already.

Great.  I've outlined what I'm looking for, and quieted my inner critic.  Breathe, enjoy the summer days on the deck, see friends, trust.  That's the biggie...trust that it will be.

So, I trusted.  And trusted.  And then one day, I found a position that called to me. Keep trusting.  "But they are requesting a Master's degree!"  Trust, apply for the job, and trust some more.  Long story short, yesterday I was awarded the position below...are you ready?

Director of Career Services for Globe University main duties
1.  Mentor students as they search for jobs after completing their degrees.
2.  Network with the business community by meeting with companies, attending functions, and hosting events, spending no more than 50% of time in the office.
3.  As the school just opened, you will be in charge of setting the direction of the Career Services program at this location, answering only to the Director of the School.
4.  Globe University has been around since the 1800s.  Bachelors' degree is fine (I did get the job, you know) and guess what?  You can get your Master's degree for free here as an employee.
5.  Teach the capstone Professional Development 250 class to those about to graduate.

I really can't say much more, now, can I?  Let me leave you with this quote, and encourage you all to stop, breathe, and listen to yourself.  Your dreams are already reality...you just may not see it yet.


"If busyness can become a kind of violence, we do not have to stretch our perception very far to see that Sabbath time – effortless, nourishing rest – can invite a healing of this violence. When we consecrate a time to listen to the still, small voices, we remember the root of inner wisdom that makes work fruitful. We remember from where we are most deeply nourished, and see more clearly the shape and texture of the people and things before us."
— Wayne Muller (Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives)