My intention with this blog is to have a place where we can dialogue around issues that students in transition face--leadership, change, decision making, cultivating a compelling life and career, getting involved, really anything that emerges.
For days now, I have had the image of a young woman standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon stuck in my head. She has climbed beyond the viewpoint and is standing with her arms outstretched, her toes teetering on the edge. I have been thinking about what a beautiful metaphor it is--so often in life we stay where we are safe and comfortable, where the signs designate our place. Rarely do we risk stepping out. I certainly don't want to advocate jumping fences and risking one's life, but metaphorically, how often do we walk to the edge? What is stopping us? Uncertainty, doubt, fear, ignorance... I think about people my age and how we struggle to make sense of life, work, spirit...it seems like so many stay behind the fence and never see all that is possible for them.
What is keeping us from digging into our passions to pull from them the work that we do? How do we live intentionally? I remember struggling after college to understand myself and what I wanted to do; I felt so alone, but now I see others at that stage struggling as well. I was trying to overcome a sense of entitlement and ease that is so pervasive in our culture, while attempting to develop a sense of leadership. I remember feeling so powerless and helpless when it came to impacting change in our world. I didn't know where to start! It wasn't until I began to engage my own sense of personal leadership that my life started to spark! Personal leadership comes from understanding our values, strengths, style and creating goals that are aligned with all of these. It is what gives us confidence to do what we feel most passionately about! It is what draws us over the fence, toes on the edge of our life, arms outstretched to take in all that is possible for ourselves!
How will you step out onto the edge?
