Some thoughts on renewing our lives as we journey through lent
Isaiah 35:1-2 is one of my favorite Lenten texts:
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus, it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.”
As we consider crocus blooms in Lent’s desert places, perhaps we can also imagine new or unexpected ways to continue to thrive in this season of wilderness wa(o)ndering.
Have you ever felt like you want to reboot and reimagine your professional or personal life?
We all experience those spans of time when we realize we need to get unstuck or disentangled from something in order to thrive in our personal and professional lives.
In my work with mid-career professionals, I have learned some strategies for thriving that are valuable for people at any stage of life. Here are five keys to thriving:
T ruth-telling
H umor
R espect
I magination
V oice
E ngagement
Vital to thriving is to become honest about who we are and what we want for our lives. We need to become truth-tellers, in particular about our own desires and needs. While this is serious work, doing it with a sense of humor helps lighten the load. Generous, authentic, and hospitable laughter is a gift. And some of our efforts to get untangled from sticky webs? Humorous.
Respect for self and others is also a gift. And it is essential to thriving.
Respect for self means paying attention to our needs. Respect means listening to our hearts. Respect means affirming our value.
Respect for others is also essential. We do not travel professional roads alone. Hospitality toward co-travelers builds healthy networks of relationship and support.
What do we envision for our lives and relationships when we let loose our imaginations? What possibilities do we see for our workplaces? Imagination and transformation are dance partners in this thriving work.
Again, we have to listen to ourselves if we want to thrive. What is my voice telling me about my life? What wisdom is my voice speaking about my wounds? About the journey ahead?
The beauty and power of listening for my voice? When I pay attention to my most authentic voice, I become more open to hearing the voices of others. We thrive when we engage the people around us in healthy ways. And we contribute to the thriving of others.
I invite you to consider some concrete strategies you have embodied to thrive in your professional and personal lives. You can learn more about these five keys in my fall 2020 publication Thrive: How professionals 55 and over can get unstuck and renew their lives. I am also glad to brainstorm with you and hear your wisdom about thriving. Reach out to me at crainsjy@wfu.edu.