Like our bones that make up our skeleton, we need structure. Without it, we are… what, jellyfish? Yeah, pretty much. No disrespect to jellyfish or anything, but if given the choice, I’ll pass. We depend on structure. We raise our children with structure. We’ve led successful lives within structures that fit our needs.
So, what happens when it goes? When we leave the safe confines of a daily routine that supports us and feels comfortable and enabling? We enter a zone of chaos, where nothing feels familiar or safe.
And while we might have longed during our younger, stress-filled days for a time when we could “do what we want” without the pressures of work, we also built a protective shell of safety and comfort within that structure (even if it produced moments of dissatisfaction and angst).
Once we leave our careers behind, we are left with an opportunity to create a new set of “bones” within which we can more comfortably reside. But it takes time, intention, and the willingness to push through the discomfort of change.
When you find yourself facing the dragon of transition, know that you’ve done it many times before. Each time was different, each time new, but you came through it better than before: smarter, more capable, and more experienced.
Build a structure grounded in who you are and what you value. Pay close attention to the pillars of health and well-being (exercise, sleep, nutrition, intellectual, spiritual, community, family, and financial). Be willing to ask yourself tough questions like, “What do I really want?” and “What’s important to me?” Then build your life around the answers.
We need structure. We want to know the boundaries and confines within which to operate. It’s just human nature. For me, experiencing no structure was like uncontrollably sliding down an ice mountain with cliffs everywhere. I need and want flexibility, but within something that feels realistic and grounding.
Let me know what you think or what you’ve experienced.
