The Calm in the Storm

For the last few months, I have experienced some really weird feelings. My senses and taste buds are changing. I’m undergoing a lot of growing pains. Things I once enjoyed, I no longer desire. There’s something inside of me growing. I’m preparing for a birth. Not physically, but there’s a peace growing within me. I am becoming a new woman in the midst of a storm.

I recently left my employer to pursue opportunities outside of the company. I dedicated five years to an organization that sharpened me personally and professionally, it was time for a change. My close family and friends were concerned, they didn’t know how I would handle this life-altering decision. Yet, they were surprised to find me in a peaceful state of mind. Why? It is through this temporary storm that I began learning four profound lessons.

1. Be Vulnerable. I wanted to control my future. Although it’s great to plan for short-term and long-term goals, they can change. I had my entire future figured out but God came along and shook up my perfect picture. I lost complete control. You have to be flexible in life, things don’t always happen the way you planned them, be open and vulnerable enough to trust the pathway God has created for you. A stubborn heart gets stuck while a vulnerable one finds new opportunities.
2. End One Chapter to Begin a New One. It would’ve been easy for me to perceive my decision to leave as the end. I was comfortable, I had tenure and I considered my job a part of my identity. I envisioned my previous employer as the last place I would build my career. Since leaving, a few opportunities have come my way that I wouldn’t have stumbled across if I was still working there. My ending was my new beginning. It’s easy to become content where you are in life when God wants you to move forward to new things. New opportunities can’t happen when you’re in a chapter that needs to end.
3. Focus on You v.s. Your Status. I defined myself by my job status. My degree, my job title, the company I worked for and money played a major role in my so-called ‘worth’. I felt accomplished and was confident that I was on my way to the top. No longer having a job put me in a place to reflect on what I value. My thoughts are shifting. Now, I am focusing more on my morals, values, spirituality and being a woman of integrity. What’s important is who you are, not your accomplishments and accolades. Labels are simply labels, they don’t define you.
4. Get Humble. I consider myself to be a humble woman, however, I do believe on social media we may talk about ourselves more than we should. In the past, I constantly posted about my accomplishments with my previous employer. Recently, I asked myself if I was continuously posting so everyone could know that I’m on my way, to get a pat on the back, to receive instant gratification or was I hoping to inspire others. Those are two totally different motives. Being unemployed, I got a dose of reality that I can have something one day and no longer have it the next. Sometimes you have to tell yourself to be quiet. Be seen instead of heard because actions make the greatest impact. There’s nothing arrogant about highlighting your accomplishments, but check your motives. Are they to impress or to inspire?

I challenge you to look around and evaluate your current situation, especially if it seems chaotic. The moment you’re in now is monumental. Appreciate where you are today, because there’s something growing inside that you’re preparing to birth. Reflect and write down four lessons you’ve learned or learning and share them with someone. I guarantee what you’re going through, others are too.

Find your calm in the storm.