​Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Every now and then I surprise myself. 
In a good way.

The kind of way that opens up channels, and brightens unknown lights inside my mind and spirit.
As if  I'm walking into a dark cave where the fog clears and I can clearly see what is inside.
Perhaps the cave appears without light, without air, and like a deep vacuum at first.
But then, shapes on the wall become clear. The cave drawings that were always there start to take form.
All of a sudden there is electricity wired inside the craggy tavern, and the best decor is already staged.
I sit down in a comfortable designer chair and find a cappuccino already made for me (with soy milk, of course).
I'm happy, content, and ready for change.

This is how I felt recently when I started applying for jobs outside of higher education. The shift away from teaching arts and media in academia has been one that brewed for a long time. Actually, probably for longer than necessary, but lasting changes take time. Just like eating well, taking care of oneself, and developing positive habits, permanent change (delightful oxymoron) takes effort, action, and consistency. 

The act of change can also mean discovery. This is another aftereffect that I've felt personally. I've discovered that all of the talents I was taking for granted, are the ones that will actually propel me into my future. For example, in my world of higher education, I was tasked to do my own marketing, public affairs, recruitment, event sales, manager duties, administration, and so on. These skills that I've picked up are now furthering my career more than my training as a professional dancer ever did. That training does carry forward, but in ways that I couldn't have predicted. I crave success (stage time), teamwork (being in a dance company), health (physical fitness), and creativity (art-making).

What talents are waiting to be revealed to you? What happens when you start digging deep into the hard and soft skills that you have been accruing throughout your career? Head into the cave and let the lights come on.

Wake up.
Make breakfast.
Feed the dog.
Make coffee.
Think about 20 things that need to get done.
Put laundry in.
Spend 15 minutes simply moving things around the house back to their properly designated location.
Hug the kiddo.
Get the dad up who has slept in.
Let the dog out.
Start the robot vacuum in one room.
Take more laundry down from a different room.
Start to create a salad dish.
Sweep the floor in the dining room.
Dust the living room.
Use the hand held vacuum on the stairs.
Give permission for the kiddo to play video games.
Kiddo and daddy start to make paper airplanes in the same place you are cleaning, and then ask for NPR to be turned off, but you gently remind them that there are several other rooms where they could make paper airplanes, and they finally go to another room.
Start the dishwasher. 
Make lunch.
Wash the lunch dishes by hand so that they won't build up before the dishwasher is done.
Have a 3rd coffee.
Tell the dog that you will take her on a walk at some point, and not to worry.
Start to read emails.
Change out the laundry.
Start the blog post.
Investigate whether or not to keep a friend-based Facebook profile, or just go full business page (you've done this a million times before).
Remember your Monster energy drink is downstairs.
Give the kiddo a hug.
Take down the recycling.
Finish making the salad and put it in the fridge.
Realize that the kitchen indeed looks great.
Tell your brother that you really need to look for new jobs today. Consider opening a web page on a device with a job search so that you remember later to continue with that idea.
Tell the dog 3 or 4 more times you will indeed walk her.
Walk into the kitchen to see it has stuff all over it again. Sigh.
Consider what exercise class to take today.
Finally sit down to finish writing the blog.
Publish it.
Look at the image you chose to correspond to the blog. 
Exhale.
Commit to the dog walk.
Stop tasking for the day.
Enjoy the afternoon and evening.