Motivation

As a 10 month employee I have grown incredibly fond of my 2 month summer vacation. It took awhile for me to get back into the swing of things last month when I returned to the working world once again.  For weeks, I went to meetings in the mornings and worked hard in the office in the afternoons.  Then the student leaders came last week and I began to see the light and feel the energy building, but because we were training, nearly every moment of the last 10 days has been scheduled from 9am to almost 10 pm.

Going from 2 months of going where I want, when I want, to meetings, offices and planned schedules was not an easy task.  More often than not I found myself blaming my age for my lack of energy, but the truth of the matter is I am a person strong in Adaptability. I thrive from opportunities to be spontaneous, fly by the seat of your pants, and make the most out of a given situation.  Planning, preparing and methodically doing things has never been my strong point.  I can... but to a point.  Past that point and it begins to take the life from me. My energy levels dip and my emotional reserves reach a critical low. The last few days I have been running on habit and expectation, not on any particular joy or desire for what the day held. But all that changed today.

Today my world began to take its true shape once again.  As nearly a hundred 18 year olds made their way into Arend, arms full of mini-fridges and "essentials," I began to sense my tank filling up.  I'm still tired, to be sure. It will take a good amount of sleeping in to cure that.  But tonight, while standing in front of said 18 year olds, encouraging them to take ownership of their college experience, I felt it. Like a switch being flipped inside of me, I knew that I was doing what I was created to do. Though it did not immediately give me energy, it gave me joy and desire and excitement for what lies ahead.... something I had lost sight of over the past month.

It's not much, but it's a spark, and given enough oxygen and a little bit of encouragement, the flame will burn hot and bright in me once again.