When I graduated from college in my early 20s, I was focused on relationships and making money. I wanted a job that paid well. I wanted to live where I could meet other young single people. In that season, I made decisions to meet those needs.
Now, approaching 60, my focus is on family and making good use of my resources. I no longer look for the best paying job. I look at how I can best care for my aging parents. I can I best make use of my resources – financially and with my time.
To live a fulfilling life, our decisions need to reflect these changes in priorities. That means we need to be consistently evaluating what seasons we are living in.
Seasons of life are more than just our age group. It includes friendship seasons and where-you-live seasons. It includes health seasons and what-you-do-with-your-free-time seasons.
In those 40 years between my 20s and nearly 60, my priorities shifted. Creativity, traveling, working remotely, freedom with time are just examples of priorities that were important at one time or another during those years.
Take notice of the season or seasons you are in.
Let me give you another example from my own life.
Two years ago, my husband and I decided to enter a ‘more relaxed’ season for our lives. We decided we wanted to spend more time traveling and bring more adventure into our lives. At the same time, we wanted to spend time with family and remain available for our aging parents.
Those priorities now define what our ‘jobs’ need to be.
I work remotely. My husband, since we are now settled near my parents to help them, is fixing up homes. Our ‘jobs’ still allow us to travel and visit family.
In my late 20s and early 30s, I realized my entrepreneurial spirit needed to be expressed. At that time, I thought that included getting an MBA (which I did), but in hindsight, it was so much more than that. I started consulting on my own. Eventually, I started my own web design business.
I didn’t know in my early 20s, what my life journey would look like. I may have thought I did! I’m sure I thought it would be much more linear-like than how it has turned out.
Those twists and turns are often influenced by the seasons of our lives.
A multitude of circumstances define our seasons – family, marriage, health, money, etc.
Seasons are defined by what is going on around us…and, likely, within us.
If you are feeling something is missing, or unfulfilled, or dissatisfied about your job, or relationship, or whatever it might be, consider the seasons you are in.
We need to understand the season, in order to discover the next steps.
Here are a few questions to get you started.
What are your circumstances telling you about what your values are and what is important in this season?
What adjustments do you need to make? In friendships or family? Job? Career? Hobbies? Free time?