There are many folks in my professional and social circles who share a trait: perpetual restlessness.
We get itchy in our jobs after a couple of years. We “re-invent” what we want to do or are doing on a pretty regular basis. We’re habitual evaluators, always looking, assessing, wondering what should be next. Where the tweaks are.
Asking questions. Lots of questions.
My friend Justin Kownacki wrote a brilliant and compelling piece today about using social media to talk about social media. And while I think there’s a role for teachers about the mechanics and theories in any industry, it can’t be all of us. The very restlessness he’s speaking of is why I’m headed somewhere a little different in the very near future, with bigger projects and a broader focus for this blog.
Restlessness is a sign that something is out of balance. That there isn’t enough momentum happening somewhere in our lives to keep us feeling like we’re still cranking, still heading somewhere, finding fulfillment that’s beyond the day to day exercises we put ourselves through in our lives and jobs.
There are folks who seek out comfort. Predictability. Routine and familiarity. Restlessness scares them, because it means trading in what you know for something you don’t.
I am not that person. Perhaps you aren’t either.
To me, restlessness is a gift. It’s a signal that my mind and heart are headed somewhere that my words can’t yet articulate. It’s a tug from the universe to me that there’s a path in front of me to explore, but one less obvious.
There are lots of ways that this can manifest. It doesn’t always have to be upheaval, but instead can be something far more subtle. A course adjustment rather than a complete change in direction.
But I’m listening. I’m paying attention when that little knot forms in the seat of my gut telling me that something needs me, or that I have something more to give. It’s how I know that the water I swim in will never, ever be stagnant.
You?
image credit: David Paul Ohmer
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