I used to think that drive and goals would cease if I became content where I was at any moment in my career journey. I now know that contentment and gratitude can be achieved by being happy where I am in my journey to my goals. I now also know that my contentment and gratitude are based on how I measure my results on my journey. For instance, if I post a story or message on social media to market my business – and if my ego needs to be fed by how many ‘likes’ I have, then I may feel discontentment, envy and unhappiness if I do not achieve the amount of ‘likes’ I want, or if I see someone else with more ‘likes’ than me. But, if I got just one ‘like’ with a personal message saying I had helped someone who was feeling low that day – would I not feel valued at a deeper level and so grateful to have helped someone? Is that not a better result?
Since leaving my sales and marketing jobs, my pace of life has slowed down a lot but gained much; I no longer have the national travel, the hotel stayaways, the long hours and the tiredness. I am lucky to have relaxation time, days to appreciate the ‘small stuff’ and time for hobbies and a great home life. I have time to discover the wonderful Lincolnshire Fens and to gradually develop my business into what I want it to be – mindfully, carefully and with thanks for the local support I am getting. When I left my sales work, I wondered if I would feel content or, after a while, hanker for an environment that was more fast paced. After many decades in an environment like that, I have started to listen to my body more and my emotional and spiritual needs. I have lost weight and for the first time in many years, am in the weight range for my height and age. I have regained energy, I smile more, am learning to relax deeply and embrace the new life I am now in. Going through a fast-paced sales environment personally had done my menopausal body no favours and my new lifestyle gives me the opportunity to recover from exhaustion and burnout, and find inside the person I used to be. It’s still a journey, and at time, life can still be tough and not easy – but that’s life hey? The important thing is to look for things you are grateful for, every day. Looking back, I am still grateful for the opportunities my previous jobs gave me, and the friendships I have made during that time, but grateful and content now I have reached the life I am so blessed to have now. I hope you all enjoy the start of Spring, the sense of wonder at budding plants and trees, the optimism of the songbirds, and find a sense of regrowth and new possibilities yourselves.
Love and light
Linda x
Founder – Fen Elder Flow
