I have to admit being amazed when I wrote the words “Day 40” at the top of today’s gratitude blog. Forty is a nice, round, epic kind of number for me. I had no idea when I started on this journey of daily gratitude if I would be able to sustain it over time. It’s not so much that I thought I would run out of things that I am grateful for in my life; it’s just that I wasn’t at all sure I’d have something to say about it every day. But here we are at day 40 and I am still writing.
Tonight I am grateful once again for stick-to-it-ness, I believe I called it perseverence in an earlier blog. I spent a number of hours reading about–in essence–all the things I’ve probably been doing wrong with my resume and cover letter. I am applying for another job that holds potential interest for me and I admit to being nervous about my application letter and resume. The last couple of jobs I applied for resulted in my receiving very briefly worded messages about how my application was not being forwarded for consideration. Translation: it got 86ed before it even made it to the committee for review. I must confess that this was a serious blow–after all, I’ve written dozens of resumes for other people who received interviews and job offers based in part on my masterful resume writing. So when it comes time to write my own, I can’t seem to pull the rabbit out of the hat. Something is definitely lacking.
At this point I will also add how grateful I am for developing humility and letting go of my ego. It very well may be that I was once and perhaps still am a fabulous creator of other people’s resumes, but have a blind spot when it comes to my own. I am about to submit my own resume for critique from some of my colleagues. My resume needs to be repackaged as I look for careers outside of higher education (and streamlined even as I look at careers in higher ed.) I am also trying to enter the brave new world of using social media sites like LinkedIn as part of my job search strategy. These are not things that some of us who have been in academia for 25 plus years are terribly familiar with. Nevertheless I reckon I’d better get on board and begin learning to use some of these tools. My daughter has been patiently trying to teach me how to use Twitter as a tool for getting my name “out there.” This job search is proving to be a very challenging and humbling project. It looks like I’ll be doing more reaching out to folks for their expertise in the days and weeks ahead.
I have to continue to be patient with myself and keep doing the things I’ve been doing to strengthen myself for this journey. Not every step I take or every new endeavor I take on translates directly and immediately into job opportunities or income. They are laying the foundation for the life I want to lead, the kind of person I want to be, the purpose and callings I want to fulfill. Right now this process is requiring as much courage, perseverance and faith as I can muster but I remain grateful that I can still get out of bed in the morning and interact with the world. I smile at something every day. I sing every day. I appreciate something beautiful every day. I pray for my children, my family and friends every day. I say or do something kind every day. I am living moment by moment, day by day, and even when I struggle, life is good.
