by Lorea M. Sample | Featured Contributor
It is the most wonderful time of the year for me right now! College football season has started, we’re getting closer to the holidays and the weather, ooohhh the weather, is cooling down. I love the fall season. It is my Goldie Locs-to-my-3 Bears-Juuuust Right as far as temperature goes, not too hot, not too cold. I always know that around this time of the year the weather will adjust to my liking, without discussion. We discern that a temperature change is coming so we start to pull out our jackets and warmer clothes in preparation for the change of the season. We take for granted the changing of the seasons. We always know intuitively when the transitions will occur…so it is with the weather, but let’s shift a little.
Have you ever just, ya know, been living life, minding your business and then have this feeling that something needs to change in your life? I mean, you haven’t been asking or seeking for any type of change in your life, but now here it is! You’re frustrated, but you don’t know why. You’re no longer content with your job even though it pays well and has an excellent benefits package, yet you’re clueless on the source of the discontent. Why? Why would you be clueless?
Just as there are seasons in nature, there are seasons in our lives and it is paramount that you know what season you currently are in for different areas of your life.
Here are 3 areas that you oughta know when the season is changing:
- Relationships
Yasssss honey, relationships! This includes family, romantic, professional and friendship relationships. I deal with all relationships like 1 of the 3 different categories below:
– Those that need to evolve.
– Those that need to end.
– Those that need to be nurtured.
Evolution of a relationship means, it doesn’t need to end, but it cannot continue the way that it is. Let’s say you’re getting married and your best friend is single. If you want a happy marriage (in my humble opinion), your friendship needs to evolve. It needs to evolve to the point that the single friend can’t call the married friend to go out all the time the way they used to or talk for endless hours gossiping about the office crush. No. No ma’am, it’s not going to work. How do I know this? Ask me how I know…..I’m so glad you asked! I am the single friend whose best friend got married and had to learn that although she was still my bestie, she was in a different season in life and I had to respect that. Our friendship entered into a new season. We’re still going to ride out until the wheels fall off, so I’m good! Friends ’till the end!
- Career/Job
Have you ever walked into your office on a perfectly normal Tuesday morning, sit down in your cubicle and have the thought of, “What am I doing here? I’m not supposed to be here for the rest of my life. Don’t know what I’m going to do, but I’ve got to get out of here!”? This is the beginning of the seasons changing in the area of your career. It could mean that it’s time to leave and pursuing new opportunities in a new place or it could mean a completely different career path, those details are specific to you. The takeaway from this is that it’s important to know and stay open to seasons changing in your professional life that lead you to opportunities that you never would’ve imagined. Knowing when that season has presented itself is important because some things are time sensitive and every opportunity has an expiration date.
- Business
As an entrepreneur, I can definitely relate to this one. When you first start out on your entrepreneurial journey, you may start out as, let’s say, a retail store owner. Then as you find your groove and realize that you have to be in business for more than just the money. You tap into your gifts and passions that touch and transform people’s lives just by them coming into your establishment receiving a brief word of encouragement. Or, that logo and web design is just not speaking to the brand of the company anymore the way that it did when you started. You like it, have warm fuzzies, but you know there’s time for a change, a season change in your business. It can be very expensive lesson to learn when you fail to properly discern the season that your business is in so stay alert!
To conclude my lecture, I mean, it’s kinda outlined that way, you need to know what season you’re in holistically not just because it’s good to know, but because it allows you to be focused and intentional in your approach to each area of your life. It truly makes for a more enjoyable and grateful life that leads to fruitfulness and clarity.
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Lorea M. Sample: The 411?: Grew up in Philadelphia, PA and now reside in Columbia, SC. In 2001 by a miracle, but mainly perseverance, I graduated from Clemson University and earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. By day I’m an Engineer with a 10+ year career in Environmental Engineering BUT by PURPOSE I’m a Speaker & Entrepreneur in the Business of Worthiness with the mission to empower women of influence to get unstuck and accomplish more in life by UNlearning UNworthinessTM. A lot of things are learned but I help women live the UNlearned LifeTM through Speaking, Coaching, Events & Storytelling. I love kickboxing training (I’m dangerous!), running (well, kinda like jogging-walking-jogging), crocheting, participating in my local church and playing with my puppy-child, Alex, my adorable 5 year old yorkie-poo! If you wanna see how I roll on the regular, check me out on:
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