Change

I don't know about you but a lot of change happened in 2015 in my life. Change, it really is the only constant. Friends come and go. Jobs come and go. Businesses come and go. Unfortunately, life comes and goes too. I am approaching that number in life where I check the newspaper obituaries daily. Life is taken from people every day whether it is by a natural occurrence or by someone's choice. There are people hurting everywhere. This past year two relatives passed away. They both had dealt with medical conditions for years and years. Their spouses cared for them with all they had. Now it is time for them to focus on themselves. Life is tough no matter who you are or where you are.

A couple of my major changes this year were my new job and my daughter moved to San Diego in August. Granted I didn't move across the country but her change caused change for me. Empty nest in 2015. It makes the house quiet. Madi steps hard. So I don't hear her stomp through the house when she gets home from work. I don't walk by her bedroom and bathroom and wonder what it looks like on the other side of the closed door. I don't text her about 5:00 to see if I should cook for three people or just two. I miss her. On the flip side I am so excited for her. She is living her dream. She graduated from college, worked a year and saved money, then moved to SD. She is maturing daily. Madi is a full-time adult. She is learning every day about life renting an apartment with a roommate. She is learning about bills, taking care of her car, buying groceries, cooking, budgeting, and health insurance. Boy that last one is a tough one with the affordable care act. So many questions, so many decisions. I oftentimes will think back to my early 20's and recall my change to full-time adulthood. 

My job change this year was huge. I was in higher education for over 13 years. I was good at my job and early on I became the go-to person for many faculty, staff, and administrators.  I really loved the work I did, working with students, helping them become their own navigators of their education and future. Back in 2011 I graduated with my masters degree in counseling. My daughter had graduated from ONU in May 2014 and I felt it was time to work more in that field and to fulfill requirements that lead to licensure. I gave a gracious timeline for my departure and left in the middle of July. Can I just say that was a major, major change. I am learning what it is like to work for a government agency (without a budget in place, too). Also, chronic mental illness is a tough field. Counseling people that are struggling more often than not is tough. Many are looking for a job, for purpose, for some type of motivation. Boy, is it tough. Boy, do I miss helping those college kids to navigate their education, career, and future. A different kind of struggle that's for a sure. 

Those are just a couple of my big changes. There is a plethora of smaller changes as well as some changes I am hoping to make in 2016. I am not one to make new year's resolutions.  I am more of a planner and goal setter type. Over the past year I have simplified how I live. I have donated 16 bags of stuff that were just taking up space.  I hope to continue to simplify and I am working on becoming debt-free in three years. I still want to move south someday and return to a work environment in education.

Keep on keepin' on!

Simply,