What Now?

As I clse my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     So it has come to the point of finally completing all of the requirements to graduate from a Masters degree. I sat back and thought about the attainment of this goal, and realized that there is much truth in the popular thoughts which say that it is in the attaining of a goal, that one feels challenged, competitive, striving to complete the smaller goals to reach the end of a goal. It is not in the completing of a goal do we feel that sense of fulfillment, it is the striving, challenging aspects. These are drives that are geared for our survival. After the completion of one goal, we feel a sense of accomplishment, but then set new goals, or fill other goals. So I thought now what? What am I to do with this list of academic accomplishments? Can I really go back into the chaotic world of a work week schedule, or how can I set higher goals, so that I can grow at the intellectual level, but also make a meaningful contribution through service? There is much to think about, as well as exploring options. 

     I relate my thoughts to the new graduate, who probably does not have as much life experience as I do. Where does one put their energies, to a world that has opened new doors because of the academic accomplishment? For this I can offer the following thoughts: You see there is a great power, in the power of now. We have realized this through the attainment of previous goals. But for happiness, joy, or a sense of fulfillment, it is the aligning of the sub-conscious, with the conscious mind. In other words: the heart and the mind must be aligned in the choosing of the doing part as well. 

     Sometimes this alignment is accurate from the first choices that we make. Sometimes it will take a variety of experiences to understand what is right for you. Remind yourself, you don't need to be doing what others are doing. Sometimes it might mean, taking sometime to think about what has interested you the most, where did you find the most passion and build in these areas. For this process, or taking the next steps, there will also be a requirement of a thought process. Or sometimes it will mean the waiting of that inner voice, to silently whisper what those next steps are for you. While it is important to find this alignment, we have to also remember there are those graduates, who won't possess this luxury of thought alignment, but need to begin earning.

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on May 8th, 2018.
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