Transitioning by Robert Steelman

June 24, 2011 in Careers

Robert Steelman

Second class was last night and I am beginning to grasp how significant this transition is going to be. I also discovered a shift in my thinking yesterday.

Since beginning the process of considering going back to school and entering a new profession, most of my thoughts have centered on whether I could “stand behind” this new career and be comfortable proceeding within it. I did a lot of research up front, including scouring the Internet for information, multiple meetings with school administrators and talking with past students to find out not just about the program, but how they have fared since graduating. Once I was satisfied with what I learned, I entered the program, but my thoughts still centered on whether this was right for me or not. By the time of the first class, I felt that in a short time I would have a sense of how right this journey was for me. Last week’s class left me feeling more confident about the education I was going to receive, but there was still some amount of trepidation.

Last night, by the end of class, I found myself going from the “what if” thinking about what is taking place in my life, to a different place. I guess the best way I have of describing it is to call it “forward thinking.” Instead of analysis about whether this was right for me, I find myself now thinking about my place within this new career. I also am beginning to get a sense of the commitment required and the amount of study that I will be experiencing, not jut during my education, but throughout my professional development. The pedal is staring to hit the metal!

What I find interesting about this as I am writing this post, is the process my mind and lifestyle are going through. I admit to being a bit of a clothes horse. I like my clothes and I like my colors bright. Since this class requires that I dress business casual, I went through my wardrobe to divide it between school attire, business attire, dress clothes and casual.

I got up this morning after pre-arranging with Nancy that I would drive down to LA with her and spend the day. This practice has become more routine as Nancy has shifted from taking the train to driving to work. Now that two days a week we do not spend more then an hour in the wee hours of the morning together, my joining her becomes even more special because it gives us a chance to spend our time driving, catching up with each other and having the kind of roaming conversations that we used to have lots more time for.

So, I go into my closet, and find myself drawn to the business casual side and choosing my outfit. Small change, but an example of the shift going on inside of me. The bigger shift is occurring as I get comfortable with my new direction and find my sense of self being transformed by the experience. Most of the shift is subtle, but perhaps because I am studying human behavior, I am aware of how my perception about my life, and myself, is changing. So far, I am thrilled by it all. I am discovering more internal energy, confidence and a greater sense of self control over the choices I am making in my day to day life. I am watching my diet more, particularly on school days when I don’t want to weigh myself down during such a long day.

I read an article that appeared in Psychology Today that talked about the new face of getting older. In particular it talked about people going back to school in their 50’s and it went on to say that the more positive our view of our aging process and the more we add new adventures to our life, not just does our life expectancy grow, but our view of aging changes from what our parents “golden years” were like.

For me, as well as many others, this “change of life” was forced by circumstances, but however it came about, having a new sense of vitality for life is an awesome feeling and hopefully will propel me towards, not just a satisfying new career, but a greater sense of well being and love of my life. For right now, my biggest hope is that it gets me through these long days, long distance commutes…and studying!