Inspiring You to Uncover and Design a Meaningful Life
It’s been unexpectedly rewarding going back to working full-time hours, and a great practice choosing gratitude despite some growing pains.
What’s the most surprising is how happy I’ve been despite being exhausted and suddenly having more responsibilities. Continue Reading
As I’m sitting by the poolside on a condo rooftop in City Center, Las Vegas, I keep on thinking about how crazy life can be, and how quickly circumstances can change when setting intentions and letting go. Our short, synchronistic stay right on the strip—as pretentious and flashy of a reputation the city may have—feels oddly appropriate.
It’s a larger-than-life reminder that anything can happen. While there are inevitable losses along the way, there’s also the chance to win big with some strategic risks, persistence and a little bit of luck.Continue Reading
About a month and a half ago, I wrote a post on what I thought would be the next phase of Uncoveries.
I usually avoid sharing future thoughts like that due to a fear of falling through. While a bit more reservation probably would’ve saved me from writing this current post, I have no regrets.Continue Reading
I recently learned about the Enneagram of Personality and discovered I’m the number five personality type. Type five is known as the thinker, observer, investigator—among other similar names. Like the other eight types, it comes with its strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies.
It all began with a library book on the subject. I was then guided to an assessment from the book. I wasn’t entirely swayed by the summary I initially read after receiving my results. Yet the more I read, the more I realized the patterns described have played out similarly in my life. Continue Reading
A couple days ago, I was introduced to Pokémon Go by my husband. Against my initial protests, he installed the app on my phone. And thus began an obsession that’s been constant from the morning to late hours of the evening.
Pokémon Go has been addicting, and it’s taken a toll on my productivity for the weekend.Continue Reading
It’s been about a year and half since I began writing regularly* on Uncoveries.
And by regularly*, I mean once a week when I’ve been timely, and two to three times a month when I haven’t been as prompt (I’ll spare you the excuses).
Why am I doing this now?
Continue Reading
I didn’t have the answer, but I needed to get moving regardless.
This was what I finally realized one morning in my twenties, not wanting to get out of bed and go to work (but knowing I will anyway).
I’ve been asking myself this question most insistently since I got into college—when the proverbial path ends and becomes yours to determine. It has been an inkling that just hasn’t gone away.
I asked this after a couple years of working full-time post college. I asked the question again after my wedding, and I asked the question yet again six months after we bought a house.
What’s next for living the life I want to live, instead of following the status quo? What’s next for what I want instead of just what someone else wants me to do? What’s next for the new adventure? What’s next for getting ourselves closer to the free life, figuratively and financially? What’s next for the impact I want to make?
These are the questions I want to answer. Even with much concerted effort to control the outcome—the countless hours of soul-searching activities, online assessments, surveys, books, coaches and so called experts—I have not been able to find it.
With so many options explored to no avail, I felt frustrated and confused.
I needed to try new things without any expectation of short-term gains or results.
Being okay with not knowing is scary at first and almost necessary for progress to be made. It’s all too easy to complain about your situation and stay stagnant in the midst of too many options and indecision.
Embracing the ambiguity, taking the time for the reflection and exploration allows you to let go of those preconceived notions, generally consisting of existing molds you may settle for in your haste to find an answer. Switching to another company, taking another mediocre job, going back to school without a clear idea of what you’re going after… these are common options that are often disguised like the next step you think you want.
It’s worth taking some time to embrace the not knowing in order to explore options out of curiosity rather than fear. During times of impatience, I ask myself, “Do you want to move very fast in the wrong direction, or very slowly in the right direction?”
There are few mistakes that you can’t learn from, and much more is gained than lost when you introduce new experiences into your life vs just waiting.
Just waiting, in a time when your inner being is yearning to make progress—to do anything for the sake of doing something—is only prolonging your misery. So do yourself a favor and get moving!
