I know so many people right now exploring. Aren't we all in exploration mode these days? In my business (oil and gas), we drill wells every day with the risk of not ever finding the pot of liquid and gaseous gold. Sometimes we make a big discovery and other times we hit nada. Yep, much like finding new natural resources, life is the same way. Because things change so quickly today from yesterday, and we live in such disruptive times, our dream of what the "pot of gold" is, changes too. And because of that, we have endings and beginnings and goodbyes and hellos.
To get you in the spirit, why not a little You Tube? Hit it...remember this one?
Seriously this has received 48M views since 2009?!
In-Sync was never my thing, really. But today is about throwing it back, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-KmOd3i7s
In all seriousness, have you had a relationship, a job, and organization, or maybe even a career that you just said "bye-bye" to? Nine years ago I came home after being in Eastern Europe and the UK for work to find my then boyfriend had packed his stuff and moved out. The friends we shared decided they wanted to go with him so they did too. (Thank heavens I didn't marry humor hang my hat on them!) The four page email I received breaking it off claimed I was lofty and losing too much weight, too fast. (After cancer, I weighed 275 and at that point I was trimming below 175.) The way I saw it, things were changing for me. Instead of binge eating donuts with my so-called friends, I wanted to run marathons. Instead of taking pedestrian views on work and life, I wanted a broader view and began traveling and taking assignments abroad.
Oh my, if I had not said my goodbyes to that 5 year relationship that was going nowhere, where would my life be? My friends, bye-bye is healthy. It means you're moving on. It isn't easy, but it's a sign of growth. Saying goodbye and shedding drama and added physical and emotional weight in my life is what gave me the chance to say, ahem, hello!
Yeah, so this video is more my style as I love the beat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYQBptoNvp0&list=RDPYQBptoNvp0#t=55
Back to being serious. Most recently, I've said goodbye to global corporate big-oil life. After 2 companies, 7 assignments in 9 years across four major continents, too many dotted and single line relationships to count, and nearly a million miles flown, I'm okay with getting off this marathon course, charting a new one and running a different kind of race. So like thanking my ex-boyfriend way back when, I am thankful for the awesome learning, experience and village I've created around me for what's next.
The biggest lesson I've learned about saying goodbye? Sometimes people come with you and sometimes they stay behind. Relax. It's okay. It's not their journey, it's yours. If they want to be a part of it, they'll come. If not, you don't need them to keep going.
So what are some of your most meaningful endings and beginnings?
