Sunday Night Contemplation: The Climb

It has been a really long time since my last entry, and there are a number of reasons for my failure to write. The most immediate reason I've been silent lately is that I've been in pure survival mode, just trying to outlast each oppressive day at my current job. My stress level has been high, my mental (and often physical) health has been questionable at best, and I simply haven't had the time or energy to devote much effort to my own goals and activities (which include my neglected blog). Another reason that I've not written much lately is that I haven't been inspired to write anything suitable for a publication that both current and potential employers might read, so I've kept my mouth shut so as not to upset the delicate balance of my daily life in this new year.

I was inspired, however, on the way home from a restful getaway weekend today, to write about the journey on which I find myself currently. While rolling back into town this afternoon, I heard a familiar, but this time more poignant, song on the radio. While I don't make a habit of internalizing Miley Cyrus tunes, "The Climb" speaks to my current dissatisfaction with my professional situation, and the lyrics could be a current anthem for my daily struggle.

It is an interesting and challenging period of life in which I find myself. A dichotomy of emotions and experiences, I am overwhelmingly happy with my personal life that includes my amazing fiance, the most wonderful family, and a core of irreplaceable friends, while at the same time being completely drained and dejected by an unhealthy work environment that I despise, at a job that brings me no closer to my long-term professional goals. My experience is such a contradiction that I often feel as if I'm only observing my life and not actually living it. My desperation to find a fulfilling contribution to the world and my life leaves me feeling unsettled and impatient.

What keeps me going every day are the constant reminders that I am fortunate to have my health (stress-induced ailments aside), my intelligence, and my incredibly supportive loved ones. Like my mom is so fond of reiterating, "This, too, shall pass." What I need to get better at is keeping my goals in sight and focusing on the things in life that I can actually control: my attitude, my motivation to improve the current situation, and my attention to the lessons I can learn from the struggles I endure now and in the future. As "The Climb" so aptly observes, there will always be challenges to overcome, and it is how we approach the difficult journeys that truly determines whether or not we find fulfillment. Life is not about end results, but rather how we spend our fleeting time and what we do with our opportunities. In short, all that really matters is The Climb.

Here's to putting one foot in front of the other...