Standing there with my son, the beach breeze was usually a comfort, this weekend it felt different. My heart hammered, sweat slicked my palms. Too many career paths, a future looming full of “what ifs?” But then, my gaze fell to my feet. Step by step, that’s what I tell myself. The future’s not here yet, and the past can’t be changed. Today, that’s all I can hold onto.
You see, this picture is of me walking on the beach with my son. I try to find refuge in these walks, and sometimes during them, I have a lot of thoughts. This weekend was one of those times I won’t forget. My heart rate was up, my hands were sweating, and my heart was racing, all for the reason “What the heck am I going to do?”
This is about a crossroads in terms of careers (I have several, and that may be the problem). I have to make some hard decisions, but I can’t explain them here today. You’ll just have to see my journey to find out.
Even while walking with him with all these emotions, I started to look down and see my feet. I taught myself a long time ago that when things get overwhelming, I revert back to the tactic of taking things step by step. Yes, it’s not original, but it’s simple, the way it should be.
Step by step is a method of just dealing with what’s in front of you. Sometimes we get so tied up in the future, a future that doesn’t exist yet, that we tie ourselves in knots and stop living in the present.
When we propel ourselves into the future, we also fling ourselves back to the past, to past decisions, emotions, and things that have happened. With all this flinging about, we tend to become a wreck and then start to have thoughts like the one I explained earlier, “What the heck am I going to do?”
Dealing with what’s in front of you is literally the only power you have when you are gripped with uncertainty. You can’t live in the future or the past, but you can affect the present with what you do today. Just realizing that you have to deal with today can be a powerful moment.
Now, does that mean you just live for today? Yes and no. It’s all about balance. Use your actions to deal with today, but take thoughts about your future to guide your present actions. Look at your past not emotionally, but to see where you can improve.
But when it gets to be too much to deal with everything, just put your head down and go step by step, but make sure you tie your shoelaces.
