Career Basics Course: Week 3, Day 12

"Keep your heart beautiful. The world needs that." ~?Najwa Zebian

Go on a Solo Trip

I have always hoped that I would be one of those people who would have experience a grand epiphany that would give me purpose and direction. My first solo trip was a perfect cinematic place for this grand realization -- a national park off the coast of Vancouver Island. The epiphany didn't end up happening, and yet it ended up being the best way to get clarity I needed to take the next step in my career.

... You may go ... far away from everyone, spend some time writing and reflecting, and nothing will happen. That's okay. That's the point. Actually, do it and trust that not all progress can be measured or noticed right away. ...

You can't force realizations. Changing where you sleep, what you eat, and how you spend your time for a few days will be enough to change your mind-set. You don't need to force it. Find your own catalyst that will push you out the door. ...

There is no right way to spend time alone. Just get out of the door, don't expect anything to happen, but know and trust that you will be a few days closer to getting a job.

The Exercise

1. Plan your trip. (If you can take time away, modestly and within whatever your budget and runway might afford you, then do it. If life and circumstances, such as family, resources and other obligations limit your time to spend days away, then think about walking, meditation, or other ways in which you might be able to spend a few or several hours for yourself -- solo -- where you, with what you have.)
2. Abandon you connection to the outside world and leave all your technology behind. (This, oddly, is much easier said then done. Going to see a movie will separate you from being "on" for a few hours. Silence your phone on walks. Leave your phone and computer in another room. Practice at giving yourself more space and time away from the constant inputs of new, information, and what's happening to everyone else.)
3. Stay at least three days, or as long as it takes to quiet your mental chatter. (Even as I write this, I recognize that this time away -- for a great many of us -- might seem unrealistic, given financial or family pressures. Dev's point, well taken, is that we need time away to -- even if on walks or while washing the dishes, folding laundry, or making breakfast. Find moments to let the chatter and the clutter fall aside.

Note: This is either ...

• Way 9?(Go On A Solo Trip), if you reference, the?50 Ways to Get a Job: An Unconventional Guide to Finding Work on Your Terms , or
• Way 10, if you reference the 2018 version of the book, which I have.

"Taking a step back is the best way to get some perspective on your purpose."

For me, ... early during the pandemic, as a family, we adopted a rescue dog from Texas, a mix of Corgi and Australian Shepherd we're told. "Walking with Carlos" several times a day has quickly become my daily trips, and so much so, that I'll readily admit that I, more often than not, require the walks more than Carlos might. We take several different paths throughout Hyde Park (Chicago) and met a collection of various other dogs and owners; there's a rhythm to these days -- and much serendipity and surprise. They are good to let things settle down for me, get some clarity and prioritize and decide what to say Yes to, and more importantly, what to say No to.

For me, ... baking and cooking represents daily time to "step back and gain perspective." When I find myself making hundreds of biscotti in a single week -- and giving them away because eating them would be too much -- I know that this is a sign that something is percolating that must be resolved or listened to.

For me, ... I've also not given sufficient time to plan real vacations -- and that's been a mistake to be resolved in 2023.

For me, ... reaching back to colleagues and friends for a phone call and coffee also helps to set and offer perspective, especially among those with no agenda and whose questions and responses offer clarity.

For me, ... when we give ourselves time for ourselves so that we have clarity, we're able to be there and be present for others around us. And this, makes all the difference in helping to create more joy and peace in the world -- and in our lives.

All the best to everyone; thanks for accompanying us on this journey.

Have a terrific Tuesday. Much peace.

Find 5-10 minutes or more, for yourself -- and then for others today.

Gerald and?Al Nunez

The Tennis Ball Project and Chicago Elementary Schools

• Briefly, as a classroom project, we've been exploring what happens to tennis balls when they're no longer usable on the court. As it turns out, they're mostly discarded. So far, over the last six-months, we've collected about 15,000 tennis balls from Chicago Tennis Clubs and we've begun to prepare these as cushions for the bottoms of desks and chairs in a few elementary school classrooms to make them a bit quieter during transition periods. Most recently, the students in my classroom have started to create a set of messages on these tennis balls to greet the younger students when they arrive to their classrooms each day. Other ideas are most welcomed.