I loved college. I was learning new things everyday, both inside and outside the classroom. I took everything from astronomy to modern dance. I got my first apartment and had to learn how to cook for myself and support myself. I took the opportunity to study abroad - in Zimbabwe! I joined groups and had different jobs. I tried everything that even remotely appealed to me, mostly to figure out what I really like. And, let's face it, who I really am. It was a chaotic time, but that was okay because there was nothing holding me down and the only person I really had to answer to was myself.
Oh how times have changed! Now I have a family that relies on me. A husband whose career choice is top priority. Three beautiful and spunky kids who require almost all of my time and energy. A house that comes with more responsibilities, including a mortgage. The sense of freedom I had in college is long gone.
Sound familiar?
This didn't happen overnight though. The years after college were still filled with new things. Getting my first job, buying our first house, having our first baby. All of these things are packed with learning experiences. After this phase, I know way more about the real estate business, the importance of a good credit score, and the inner workings of an infant's digestive system than I ever would have imagined in college.
But, somehow, these things took over my life. Or rather they became my life. What's the difference, really?
This is the life I wanted, right? The husband, the house, the family. Don't get me wrong, there are so many wonderful and challenging things about being a wife and a mother. But there are enough blogs dedicated to that already.
What about the ambitions and passions that used to define who I am? They can get pushed so far back in our lives and in our minds that they don't even register anymore. But they are still there, somewhere deep inside. As women, the depth of our souls is often covered by the roles that we play.
So how do we tap into those parts of ourselves? How do we reawaken our passions and ambitions? The same way we did in college - new life experiences.
My first career was in the field of experiential education. It sounds pretty academic, I know, but stick with me. I managed study abroad programs in Africa, India, and Chicago for college students. I loved these programs because they highlighted the fact that learning and growth happens just as much outside the classroom as it does inside the classroom, if not more! To continue our own personal growth throughout our lives, all we need are new experiences that expand our knowledge of the world around us and challenge us to figure out how we fit into it.
When was the last time you tried something new? Went somewhere you've never been? Did something challenging that made someone else say "Wow!"
Right now, I am in the middle of a built-in experiential education program. I am spending a year in Switzerland with my family. We came here for my husband's job (of course), but the experience has been incredible. Skiing and hiking in the Swiss Alps, weekend trips to European cities, and learning a new language are just the icing on the cake. For me, the daily challenge of making sense of another culture, relearning how to do everyday things a different way, and helping my kids to negotiate life here has reminded me of my strength and given me a renewed passion for life.
But, you don't have to leave the country to create new, meaningful experiences. There are a multitude of opportunities just waiting for you if you are ready to find them.
