New Beginnings

Like most of you, I'm sure, my life has been a series of new beginnings. I prefer to think of the beginnings instead of the endings. Each new beginning presents an opportunity to take a different turn on life's path, or to continue on your merry way.

Almost all of the significant new beginnings in my life left me with excitement, but also some anxiety and trepidation about what was to come. Quite possibly the only new beginning that did not fill me with as much anxiety as excitement was becoming a mother. I felt ready and willing from the start.

Starting high school was great because I had the opportunity to leave behind the childish harassment (today it would be called bullying) of elementary/middle school. It was scary, though, because I knew no one; I didn't even have the benefit of my brothers in the school because it was an all-girls high school.

I started college half-way through high school. This was especially exciting because it was a full-scholarship and I knew my parents really couldn't afford to pay for this education. It was anxiety-provoking because I was leaving behind an almost familial-like group in my show choir. I was poised to take on more leadership responsibility in the choir and here I was essentially abandoning them to pursue my college career.

Moving to Florida to continue college was a significant beginning. I've now been in the state for about half my life, the other half being spent in my home state of Texas. Florida brought me my first job (a work study position), my completed education (bachelor's degree and two master's degrees, continue education in faith formation), the chance to start my own family, the first steps on my path toward teaching, and helped me continue to develop my persona and become a much more solid individual.

Today I began a new leg of my life journey with the start of a new job. This is the first permanent, full-time position I had in my "career" to date. The majority of my positions have been on contract and/or part-time positions. I'm actually looking forward to turning this opportunity into a truly permanent thing. Stability is something that I sorely need in my life right now. I am, of course, a little anxious because it is a new type of work for me. Yet, I choose to focus on the opportunity this new position represents for me and my daughter.

Workload

I am an adjunct (read: part-time) instructor of college courses. For the past 3 years I have been teaching solely psychology classes at the local community college. This semester I took on too many courses (I actually have technically 6, 4 at once, which is more than the full-time professors teach). Because I am a contract employee, I get paid per class, so this semester is going to be an overloaded challenge--4 of my classes are 2 sections of 2 back-to-back condensed minimester courses at a high school--but the extra money is sorely needed.
This semester was a fluke, though. No part-time instructor is allowed to have so many courses. As there are no other colleges or universities in the area, that leaves my instruction employment options limited. Next semester, starting in January, I will not be allowed to teach at the college. I will only be allowed to keep my college-level dual-enrolled courses at the high school. Yes, on the down side that means a significant pay cut. However, this blog is about the silver lining of life and I'm not posting this to complain to the imaginary audience that may or may not stumble upon this entry. The upside, as it is for just about anyone who loses their job or experiences a workload reduction, is that I will be able to spend more time with my daughter. Right now I am working two nights a week. That's tough on her. In the spring she will be able to spend more time with me. I might even be able to volunteer in her classroom or with her softball team. Every closed door is answered with another open portal.

Work

Many of us constantly complain about our jobs. Even the happiest, most satisfied employee will occasionally find something that needs improving. This is a good thing for two reasons.

1) The most obvious: complaining about your job means that you are employed. This means that you have an income, no matter how small it may seem, that can help you put food on the table and a roof over your head. I know that not all jobs provide enough to even live comfortably. However, something is ALWAYS more than nothing.

2) If you have something to complain about at your job, then that means that you have an opportunity to help your organization grow and improve. Organizations are organic--funny how that works, huh? That means that they need to keep learning and growing, improving and changing as a system if they want to survive (and maybe even thrive). Much like a human's personal journey on the path to self-improvement, the best way for any organization to grow is from the inside. Embrace those things you complain about and try to look at them as windows of opportunity to make things better and more efficient.

Of course, if the job is too abrasive, too much for you to handle, go on the job hunt. Just remember to secure a new job before you walk away from the old one. Something is always better than nothing. Plus, unemployment payments don't last very long.