Compasses and Directions
(click on images to view them full size)
Which way?
I’ve had some interesting conversations lately about the future, direction and purpose of life and while sometimes these conversations can be a bit daunting and heavy - especially when the forward path is murky and unclear - I have been finding myself uplifted by them.
I was recently asked to participate in a luncheon for a youth group with members nearing the end of high school and next life steps looming for the students. A group of “elders” and recent graduates were asked to provide a slide with information about their career, what made them get into their career, what sustained them and also what advice they’d give to someone considering this career. It really got me thinking back a few years as I’ve just passed 3 years in retirement after a 38 year working life.
Sometimes the path is not very clear. (In camera multiple exposure of 3 images merged - f29, 70mm, f5.6, ISO64)
I approached my slide as though I was speaking to a younger version of myself and trying to tap into my motivations and advice. For me, I lucked into my career based upon skills that I had and my passion for maths and sciences, but I sustained myself in this career by being curious and continually learning. In fact I counted that I’ve had some 5 or 6 careers in the space of my working life as I kept reinventing myself and growing over the years. Everything that I did built on the skills that I learned from a previous step.
My advice to the youth in the group was to focus on your passions and align a career with them - never stop being curious and learning. My reasoning for this advice is that while you learn certain skills in school - your job doesn’t always call for those skills and in fact if you can pivot once you’re in the workforce - there are limitless possibilities for the direction you can take.
Follow your North Star.
Finding your North Star can be confusing with all the light pollution. (EXIF data iPhone image)
I often ponder how to find direction and purpose in life - I know, I like to tie myself up in knots trying to figure out things that I probably don’t need to spend time figuring out. However, I’m always curious about where I’m heading. The irony is that the way forward often seems clearer when I open my heart and follow my North Star. What is my North Star? It’s the guiding light that comes from deep within me and is based upon my core values and my passions. When I am open to letting go (there’s that Surrender again) I seem to intuitively know what I need to do and which direction I need to follow. I think this is because I have an inherent (and maybe we all do) understanding of which direction to take when faced with a choice - often I find myself hesitating when it is something unfamiliar and outside of my comfort zone, but even then I seem to know when taking that risk will lead to a good outcome and growth (a good outcome is not always success either).
The students that impressed the most were those who focused on articulating their skills and passions - using these attributes to inform and guide the direction of their studies and future careers. They made no mention of careers that would pay well or where there was a big demand. These are students who will not be at the whim of market forces and I suspect that they will be very resilient as they move forward - knowing when and how to pivot by focusing on what they can do to navigate the way ahead. The future looks bright when I consider that these are the types of young adults moving into the halls of higher learning. They seem much more mature and confident than I felt at their age.
What if I had a 6th sense?
I often wonder what it would be like to have additional senses that allowed me to have access to figuring out my way. I was recently reading An Immense World (Ed Yong) about whales and turtles being guided by the magnetic fields in the earth - that they have the ability to sense those fields and use them as navigational aides. I was getting excited about this until he mentioned a theory that solar flares interfere with the earth’s magnetic fields which might explain why whales occasionally beach themselves. Maybe I’ll stick with the senses that I have and a good satellite navigation system for now.
I think that what I’ve found is I have all the tools I need to determine my best direction. When I’m facing a fork in the path (literally or metaphorically), I’ve found that my best approach is to slow down and focus inside myself - listen to what’s going on - what is causing me agitation or what is causing me excitement and use that to help guide me - or at least use it as information input to making the decision. I have also found that journaling really helps me - it gets those confusing thoughts that circle around in my head out of my brain and into some semblance of order - if nothing else it helps me to stops ruminating over the same thoughts as though I’m caught in a continuous do loop.
Intuitively I know that this image doesn’t make sense - it is a reflection and has been turned upside-down. (EXIF data f6.3,120mm, 1/200s, ISO1200)
I have also found that using my values cards helps me sort through conflicting thoughts and ideas. Aligning my direction with what is important to me just makes sense and often unravels the most confusing mess of thoughts. I think the reason that these two methods work for me is that they help me to get out of my head and tap into my more intuitive brain.
I once read (I believe the book was Blink) about how much data bombards our brains and that we pick up all sorts of information subconsciously and if we tap into that intuitive brain we can make accurate decisions. The example used in the book was experts being able to identify art forgeries without even really knowing why. In their subconscious minds something or some series of things didn’t add up and all they had was a gut feeling that something was wrong. When they listened to that internal voice about the work not being authentic - they were correct more times than not.
There is something to be said for trusting those internal instincts.
Photography Direction
I recently attended a self directed photography retreat which provided such joy and inspiration for me and really got my creative energy amped up. I found such a charge from interacting with the three other photographers in person - learning new techniques and adapting them to my style while also getting valuable in the moment feedback. I felt like I was on an accelerated learning curve.
The mystery of what lies just beyond the crest of the hill or around the corner (EXIF data f4, 1/250s, 120mm, ISO200)
The week in Quebec really had me get curious and playful with my photography - not being so worried about rules and colouring within the lines. I was inspired to find new ways of translating my inner thoughts and feelings into images. In fact I was so inspired by the amount of energy and creativity that I felt - I made a decision upon my return to move away from some online forums that I’ve been involved with. This decision has freed up my time and my mind to focus on playing and experimenting more rather than spending so much time online trying to keep up with other peoples’ work. I may go back to some of the online groups in the future, but right now it feels good to be untethered and focusing on exploring what brings me joy.
I’m trying to incorporate some of the things I’ve been collecting from my spiritual journey - looking at ways to capture what brings me awe and wonder. Trying to recapture the spirit of newness that we feel the first time we experience something. It’s also a bit like when I’m reading something really interesting that makes me gasp and want to dig deeper. That energy and driver - that is what I’m feeling compelled to chase right now.
Directional Awareness
Right now I feel like I’m relaxing into life after a hectic couple of years. I’m enjoying the contentment of the moment while learning and exploring new ideas. I’m finding that I’m becoming more interested in day to day joys which means I’m more present/in the moment and rebounding faster when I experience set backs. I’m learning to let go and be more present without worrying about what ifs. There’s so much to learn and enjoy - I’m embracing that fully!
It also feels like there is so much uncertainty about the future and the direction I’m taking - I don’t have answers or reasons and the future is definitely unclear, however I’m letting my intuition and passions guide me to explore and who knows where that will take me. I suspect my subconscious has an idea, but for right now she’s keeping it all under wraps.
Do you like to have a fully formed plan or are you open to following intuition? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below or drop me a note directly by clicking on the Connect With Me button.
Who knows if there’s a path in there, but I’m willing to explore and find out where I end up. (EXIF data f7.1, 400mm, 1/300s, ISO200)
I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.
