Words of Inspiration

This is a good one!!!  I'm posting this inspirational message for those in the contemplation stage of making a career change.


This is the type of sentence that would have helped me along the difficult path of decision making. Making a change is very difficult, and it is conversely very easy to rationalize why it can be put off, or not made. Sometimes there is only a certain window of opportunity to make a change.


Consider regret: both of making a change and of NOT making a change.









P.S. Two posts in one day....that must most definitely mean I am in full "study" mode... Lol!

Need Inspiration to be a Second Career Nurse?

Here's some genuine inspiration about second-career nursing...she became a nurse at age 54, and at 89, is still working 4 times a week.


Now that's inspiration to me.  And as a bonus, this makes me feel positively young!!! :-)


Thank you, ScrubsMag, for telling the world about this amazing nurse!
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89 years old and still going strong…our inspiring nurse of the week!

by Scrubs • March 17, 2014

         

WBOY.com + Scrubs

Ever feel like you’re 90 years old at the end of a long shift? So does Ruth Hepler.


Here’s the difference, though: Hepler actually is 90! Well, 89 to be exact.


Four days a week you’ll find Hepler at Nella’s Nursing Home in Randolph County, W.V, according to WBOY.com. She will have driven herself there and will likely be overseeing and comforting patients in addition to performing nursing treatments.


Interestingly, Hepler didn’t even become a nurse until she was 54. She joined the Davis and Elkins College RN Program after her husband died. Before that she was a homemaker, and before that she worked in a factory making plexus glass for B29 bombers for World War II.


She doesn’t restrict her work to West Virginia, either. She has also volunteered as a nurse in Haiti and has traveled around the world. All of this sits well with her reason why she’s still a nurse after all these years.


“If you are going to retire to something, that’s different. Just don’t retire and sit down,” she told WBOY.


Well said, Mrs. Helper.

Here's the link to the source of this article, at scrubsmag.com: http://scrubsmag.com/89-years-old-and-still-going-strong-our-inspiring-nurse-of-the-week/

Inspirational Words for Today

"The odds may be one-hundred to one against you, but a determined person can do anything."
                                                                                        source: my 12 year old son

He just said that to me, as I'm sitting here with my head hurting from trying to understand and memorize so many nursing theories for Monday's exam.

Learning nursing theories is still a nightmare course. I'll most definitely, without any shadow of any doubt, leave evolving nursing theories to other nurses, in my future career.

UGH!!!

Beautiful quote

I read a beautiful quote that exactly sums up how I feel about nursing -- both my contribution to the profession and how I will be impacted by my patients. 

That latter point has already started in my LTC rotation, but when I think of it, I think I have already also made a positive impact on my patients and their families...my patients won't remember me, given that they're end-stage dementia patients, but their families certainly will.

It's not that "I" want to be remembered by my patients, it's what I did for them that makes it special and important to me.  It's the same idea about how I don't remember the names or faces of my Labour & Delivery nurses when I gave birth, but I remember what they did for me.  And that's what I want to be able to give, too.

"When I think about all the patients and their loved ones that I have worked with over the years, I know most of them don't remember me nor I them.  But I do know that I gave a little piece of myself to each of them and they to me, and those threads make up the beautiful tapestry in my mind that is my career in nursing."

                                                            -- Donna Wilk Cardillo, A Daybook for Beginning Nurses

P.S.  Note to self -- gotta get me that book!!!

This poster was made for me

I think this poster was specifically made for me...

...however, if someone actually made a poster with this message, it tells me that I'm not the only one out there, who is this way, and that makes me feel a lot better!  Lol!!!

OK, OK....I'm going for that run now!


Source: https://iheartinspiration.com/quotes/fitness/if-you-went-running-when-you-first-started-thinking/#!prettyPhoto

Inspired Words for Today

Even though I am loving being in nursing school and thoroughly enjoying all the gifts and experiences that making this career-shift have brought me, I seem to struggle with getting through January.  This same phenomenon happened last year, too.

I don't know if it is the post-Christmas build-up let-down (if that makes any sense!) or simply the dark, freezing days.  It has been one of those weeks that happen in Canada -- where the temperatures plunge so cold, that it is truly impossible for average people like me to enjoy the outdoors. 

It is a week of being too cold to take the family skiing (like we do weekly), tobogganing, the snow is too crumbly to build anything with it, the kids are kept indoors every school recess because of the frostbite they'd get in a couple minutes.  I dread the thought of even having to go outside, as I know my nose and lungs will feel frozen in seconds.  Maybe this is the so-called "cabin fever" phenomenon, where people have simply been cooped up inside for too long...

Before anyone reads too much into this complaint, I must say this is not a clinical issue -- I just find it a wee bit harder to motivate myself to keep as active, energetic and eating well as I do the rest of the year.  It is frustrating to me to not have my usual energy and motivation levels, even if these moments are relatively brief.

However, the extreme deep-freeze of last week is over, and the days are getting noticeably less dark.  This is all good!  Apparently I don't do well in extremely cold, dark climates.  Give me palm trees and a beach any day....

All of that intro to say, that when I am feeling in a bit of a rut, I turn to several blogs I've discovered, and read the archived posts.  One of my favourite inspirational blogs is called "Smile With Your Heart", written by a Canadian nurse and fitness/adventure lover, Jenn Thiel.  (http://smilewithyourheart.com)

Today, as I was just wrapping up my "fun" computer time, before I turn it to school-related work, I read the following sentences.


"Combine your passions. Create your dream life. Who’s stopping you? If anyone, it’s only yourself. Toss that little voice out the window and keep on keepin’ on. Keep doing what you love. You’ll discover that it really is so much more possible than you thought."  (http://smilewithyourheart.com/2011/08/17/day-38-have-a-balanced-day/)

Those are the words I'm taking to heart today.  I'm off now to go for a run, as I contemplate with gratitude all the possibilities, people, opportunities, experiences and gifts I've been given in my life, and open my heart, mind and soul with further gratitude to any and all future amazing experiences.

Getting back into fitness

I went for a 16 km bike ride yesterday, and managed to run 2 km today!  Gotta get moving again.

I. Feel. Great.

 

 

I am challenging myself to get fit. My goal is to do some form of exercise for 30 minutes every day for forty days.  Nothing complicated.  After forty days, it had better have become a habit!!!  

 

Follow my fitness challenge progress on the sidebar! (And thank you 'smilewithyourheart' for the sidebar idea!)



A different perspective on "having it all"

The scope of my blog is evolving.  I am evolving.  Everyone is (hopefully) evolving in at least some small way.  The primary focus remains on career change to nursing (second year starts up in a few short weeks!).  But changing careers, choosing to change careers to a completely new field, does not happen in a vacuum.

There are so many other factors involved in making the decision to leave a stable, successful career. There are so many considerations to think about, so many scenarios to imagine (good and scary!), and so many people who could be affected by such a change.  A change of this magnitude most certainly does not happen in a vacuum!

And this is why I need to branch out in my writing, to include these other considerations.  I have recently been reading several blogs I find to be very inspirational, for different reasons.  Hands Free Mama focuses on the importance of being present and not distracted by our BlackBerry when being a parent.  Smile With Your Heart (I hope the author starts writing again soon!!!), is very inspirational about healthy living, fitness, and community involvement.  Plus there is the bonus factor that the author is a nurse, and it shows me all the various volunteer  and travel opportunities nursing provides.  I am energized, motivated and simply feel better when I read these blogs.  (Links to both are in my blog's sidebar, and I hope to add more in the future.)

That is why I realized I need to evolve my blog, and include more positive, encouraging messages in my writing too. 

Ever since I became a mom, work/life balance has been at the forefront of my mind. I think being a nurse will definitely help improve this quest to gain balance, particularly if I end up working part-time (and picking up the odd extra shifts).

However, the mythical work-life balance dilemma is very much a reality in our society.  And I am certain it will continue to be a significant factor in our life, even with the career change.  As the children get older, their needs change and our roles adapt to their changing needs.  But the limited amount of time we have together does not change. 

The article I've chosen to highlight, represents a completely different perspective about priorities and what is truly 'important' in life. 

The author summed up this perspective beautifully, in the following sentence:

 

"We are chasing the wrong things, asking ourselves the wrong questions. It is not, "Can we have it all?" -- with "all" being some kind of undefined marker that shall forever be moved upwards out of reach just a little bit with each new blessing. We should ask instead, "Do we have enough?"

I hope you enjoy the article, and thinking about a different spin on what it means to have it all.

It made me realize I truly 'have it all', a million times over.  I have more than enough. I have so much I need to reach out and share with others. 

And I am, and always have been, regardless of my situation and station in life, extremely grateful.

Future Nurse Kate

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What My Son's Disabilities Taught Me About 'Having It All'

Marie Myung-Ok Lee | Jul 30, 2012

Because of her child's problems, the author will never have a tidy, peaceful life. But none of this keeps her from being happy -- as long as she asks herself the right questions.
The author on a walk with her son (Photo by Karl H. Jacoby)

A debate on career and family See full coverage

As someone in her 40s, unequivocally in middle age, I find myself and my friends in that stage of life that seems to auger constant assessment -- am I happy? Am I doing the right thing with my life?
Evidenced by the number of times Anne-Marie Slaughter's Atlantic piece "Why Women Still Can't Have It All" was posted on Facebook, it served as a cri de coeur of the collective unconscious of those of us swimming in the Gen X/Baby Boomer estuary, last stop before becoming truly elderly. (It's apparently also the most-read article in the magazine's 155-year history.) Slaughter rightly questions why having a family complicates the career ladder for women in a way that it does not for men. But the hidden heart of the article, I believe, is its hinting at that unspoken yearning for that perfect life that has been promised to us by ... someone? Ads? TV? Ms. Magazine? Those ATHLETA catalogs?

Let me compare and contrast that with a typical incident that happened just last week in my own 40-something working mother life. My husband and I were sitting in the office of a neuropsychologist who had just run an assessment on our 12-year-old son who has a variety of disabilities and medical problems.

While our friends worry about middle schools, we bring our son to the ER to get stitches after he puts his head through a window.

"You know cognitively, he's functioning at the bottom 1 percent of children his age," he said.

I nodded.

"That means 99 percent of children are doing better than he is."

I nodded again. (Yes, I can do the math.)

He waited, seemingly perplexed. "Having seen what I saw, and of course you have to be with your son all the time -- I have to ask you, how do you have the patience?"

I looked at him. He's my son. It was so obvious, I did not say it.

"I mean, really. How do you do it?" He looked to my husband, who gave him the same look. He tried a different tack: "Well, with all this stress, how are you two doing?"

"Fine," we said, and meant it. He handed us the thick report, still shaking his head.

This is, sadly, a very typical exchange, not just with the experts in our lives, but even close friends: How do we stand our hellish life with a child who functions at 1 percent and starts to bite and hit when he is in situations he doesn't understand -- often, multiple times a day? Once, watching our son having a hard time, a friend even blurted, "I'm so glad this didn't happen to us!"

While our friends worry about the quality of middle schools, our parental duties include bringing our son to the ER to get stitches after he puts his head through a window, then arranging for a window replacement and for a special treatment for all the glass in our house so it won't shatter -- at a pretty penny. Other friends declare, "I couldn't do what you do." If I am to conform to their expectations, I'm not sure what I am supposed to do: Beat my son? Kill myself? (Sadly, parents with kids like my son have done exactly that.)

Maybe it's my Buddhist outlook, but I'm not consumed with worry and frenzy and despair like I'm "supposed" to be. I don't enjoy that my 12-year-old son is still in diapers and sometimes purposely makes a mess in the bathroom. Or that he dumped his Thanksgiving dinner on my sister-in-law's pregnant belly. Or that he screams in the parking lot of Whole Foods until people call the cops on us. On the other hand, he is my son, and he is what I have. And he has a nice smile.

To read the entire article, please click here:  http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/07/what-my-sons-disabilities-taught-me-about-having-it-all/260479/

Inspirational thought for today

I came across this gem of a quote this morning. 

It simply needed to be included in my blog about career change to nursing. 

However, it can be applied to any change you want to make in your life -- be it huge or tiny.  Just set a goal, and take at least one step towards making that change, towards your goal.  And then another, and another.  And before you've realized it, you'll be needing to set new goals to work towards and achieve.  (I'll be writing a lot more about this theme in the weeks and months to come!!!)

Thank you, merci, M. Thoreau.



Last day in my current career

Today will officially be my last day in my communications career that I have worked at since the late 1990s.  I imagine I will always be doing communications work in some capacity, most probably medical communications, as I do love to write, plan and, simply, communicate!  However, today is the official end of my current career.

That seems quite surreal to write.  Despite the fact that I am thoroughly convinced that this is the right move to make, being fully aware of the reality that 'this is the last day' gives me mixed feelings.  I have been extremely lucky and blessed in my work all these years.  I've had the opportunity to work for the UN -- I've represented Canada at the UN in Geneva, NYC and New Delhi, and have worked at the Canadian Embassy in Paris.  I've travelled on my coveted red, diplomatic passport, now safely tucked into a memory box for safe-keeping.  It's been quite a ride...and I am so extremely grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I've had, and all the incredible people I've met along the way, who have helped me and encouraged me in my career.

However, the pull of the medical field as my calling, my vocation, has not diminished over the years, as I'd hoped it would as I settled into a communications career in the field of international diplomacy.  Then came a family, and the pull towards a more balanced home-work career also appeared.  What I ultimately need to do, is see and feel that my daily work actually has some tangible meaning, in a helpful way, to someone.  I need to work in the medical field.  And I must admit, I've already found the perfect job for me that I will be working towards -- my new long-term goal -- is being a nurse with the UN in Geneva.  That is simply THE perfect job for me.  So, soon-to-be former colleagues, our professional paths may yet cross, but in a somewhat different capacity! 

It has not been an easy decision to make, and I didn't make it lightly.  I truly believe this is the right decision to make at this stage in my life, and that it will all work out great.

But now it is simply time to move on.  Here's to harmony, and happiness!

"What is happiness except the simple harmony between a person and the life they lead."

                                                                                            -- Albert Camus

Weekly Inspirational Quote

For awhile last year, I posted a weekly inspirational quote. I was drawn to quotes that particularly resonated with me during this time of transition and career change. 

I think that this summer break from nursing school may be a good time to re-start posting quotes...inspirational quotes on career change, choices, living an authentic life, being true to your dreams if possible, perseverance, determination...you get the idea!!!   A bit of inspiration or motivation can never hurt.

Enjoy!

"Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely."

                                                     -- Karen Kaiser Clark

Yes, you've got what it takes!

I came across the following article recently.  The author graduated at age 45 as an RN, and is happily working in her new field and loving it. 

The article is posted in my blog, but it is also worth clicking on the link, to read all (several years worth!) of comments people have left.  The comments in themselves are inspirational stories!!!

Enjoy!  And here's to us writing such an article one of these years!!!  :-)

http://www.realityrn.com/more-articles/managing-your-career/the-perks-of-nursing-as-a-second-career/266/

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The Perks of Nursing as a Second Career

Yes, you’ve got what it takes!

By Sue Anderson, RN

What would prompt a 45-year-old mother of teenagers to pursue a career in nursing?

Delusional thinking, some might say. At times I thought I was mad. How could I keep up with those tireless, technology-savvy twenty-somethings? Still I couldn’t ignore my inner rumbling. I wanted to do something significant with my life.

When I was younger, nursing was my dream. But I wasn’t the student I needed to be to make that a reality. Instead, I got a degree in social work. But like many women my age, I got married, had my first child, and traded in my dry-clean-only wardrobe for playdate attire.

The children grew up. At about 40, I started thinking about nursing again. Since I wasn’t getting any younger, I realized if I wanted to do it, I had to do it now. Five years later, I’m ready to take my State Board Exam and work at a rehabilitation hospital in the brain injury unit.

Being a second career nurse isn’t easy—and it probably never will be. I often feel like I’m 13 steps behind the young new nurses. Nursing is physical, and with a body that’s already slowing down, the eight- and twelve-hour shifts are draining.

I also find myself worrying about adjusting to the technology—which younger students are proficient at. Once you get used to one pump, it’s gone and the next one comes in. I’ve spoken with other second-career nurses, and all share that feeling of not being able to keep up.

But through the discouragement, I’ve learned what second career nurses have to offer.

Your Unique Experience
Second career nurses bring to the nursing profession something younger nurses don’t have: life experience. My fellow students—most who were about 20 years younger than I—often said to me, “You’re just so comfortable and confident.” They mentioned how nervous they felt when talking to a patient. I’ve never really stressed about that. I chalk that up to my background in social work and because I’ve had my own children and been through lots of family health situations. I bring more empathy and knowledge to the nursing environment.

I also think I’ve gained confidence as I’ve gotten older; I am not afraid to say to myself, I am still smart. I can still do it…and I’m going to do it. Seasoned nurses might snidely question the way I do things, but I don’t take it personally. Instead, I deal with it. I’ve encountered enough catty people in my life—from my previous work as a social worker to the PTO--to know that usually these people have insecurities of their own.

As a second career nurse, I’m also sure of my priorities. Often, hospitals want younger students who want to climb the corporate ladder—and, hence, are willing to take the tough shifts. At this stage in my life, accelerating in my career isn’t my first priority; my family is. So, I’ve chosen to be pickier about my shifts.

I encourage others to pursue a nursing career, even if you feel over-the-hill. Health care professionals are hugely in demand, and good, caring ones are going to be the difference in solving the problems we face. Each of us has something different to offer—whatever our life stage—and working together we can make a difference.

Friday's words of inspiration

Today's quote is short, simple and to the point.

"Follow your own star!"

-- Dante

Have a great weekend!

Friday's words of inspiration

For today's entry, I am providing a link to a blog I stumbled upon.  This is a blog that contains inspirational quotes, presented in a very nice format, and seems to be updated often. 

I scrolled down the blog, and found so many great quotes.

Of the many that I really liked, one stood out.  I wrote it down, and placed it on my study table (yes, I have my nursing school study desk already set up in our home office -- with 'strict' orders for the hubby and kids to keep their stuff off it!  I want one clutter-free area in the house...but I digress!  Lol!)  

The quote I wrote out was, "Suffer the pain of discipline, or suffer the pain of regret."  This is so true, in so many areas of life.

I'll be thinking about that in the coming years, when feeling like studying won't be too high of my list of priorities...yes, procrastination about studying can happen...

Here's the link to the site:

http://bitsotruth.blogspot.com/

Enjoy, and happy weekend!!!

Anyone start their nursing career later in life?

Many have, apparently!

This was the title of a post on AllNurses.com, started in 2005.

So far, there have been 949 responses to this question, with the latest answers coming in May 2011.  Many people answering are older than me, and seemingly very, very happy with their decisions.

When I need some inspiration to make this career change a reality, I read a few of the answers.  It makes me realize that there are other people out there who willingly left successful careers (i.e. those in NS not as a result from being laid-off or in a dead-end job and upgrading), at my stage of life (married, kids, house, dog, etc!), and many were even significantly older.

Here's the link to the thread:
http://allnurses.com/success-stories-nursing/anyone-start-their-125963.html

Only 8 more weeks until classes start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday's words of inspiration

Here are several quotes again...there are just so many amazing quotes out there, that I want to share.  If I just do a single quote a week, I'll never get them all posted.

These are by a guy called Napoleon Hill, on career, achievement, and living your own life.

Happy Friday, and have a great weekend! 

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"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat."

"Find out what you really love to do, and then find a way to make a good living doing it."

"No man can succeed in a line of endeavor which he does not like. The most essential step in the marketing of personal services is that of selecting an occupation into which you can throw yourself wholeheartedly." 　

"Close friends and relatives, while not meaning to do so, often handicap one through "opinions" and sometimes through ridicule, which is meant to be humorous. Thousands of men and women carry inferiority complexes with them all through life, because some well-meaning but ignorant person destroyed their confidence through "opinions" or ridicule." 　

"The majority of people permit relatives, friends, and the public at large to so influence them that they cannot live their own lives, because they fear criticism. Duty does not require any person to submit to the destruction of his personal ambitions and the right to live his own life in his own way."

http://www.quotationcollection.com/author/Napoleon_Hill/quotes

Wow, Friday already.  Where has the week gone???  This has been an exceptionally busy week at work for me.  A corporate event I had been organizing for a few months took place on Tuesday.  It went very well, and I am relieved that it is over!  A few other events also took place in the latter part of this week, making it, as I said, exceptionally busy.  Busy is good -- I love being busy at work.

I am turning into an academic 'keener'.  I recently got hold of the anatomy & physiology textbook that I'll be using in the coming school year, and I can keep it until the fall.  So I have started reviewing the material.  I am very pleased (and greatly relieved!!!) that so far, what I have read has been a good review of the physiology classes I took (many) years ago during my BSc degree.  It is not so much the physiology classes I am concerned about -- actually, those I am greatly looking forward to, as I loved my physiology classes in 3rd and 4th year university. 

Rather, my concern is the memorizing of the anatomy...will my memory be what it used to me???  We shall see.  What I do remember (see, all is not lost!  LOL!) from my previous anatomy classes, is that there was an awful lot to learn in a very short period of time.  Back then, it was not only a question of learning the names of the muscles and bones (and tendons and blood vessels and...), but we also had to learn where they originated from and where they inserted into. 

And for our lab exams, we were faced with about 45 covered pans, each containing a dissected critter, and we had 30 seconds at each station to uncover the speciment, take a look at it, and write down the origin, insertion point and of course, name of the item that had the pin stuck in it.  Then on to the next station.  I'm not sure if the nursing anatomy exams will be this involved (after all, we are now doing human anatomy, not 10+ different critters like in my previous classes), but regardless, there will be a lot of memorizing to do.  And the earlier I can get learning it, the better.  It is a academic confidence boost, if nothing else.

And finally, to end this week with a quote I find inspirational, here it is below.  I know that no job will ever be 'perfect', but it would sure be nice to feel at least some of the time, that I'd be doing this work even if they didn't pay me.  That's certainly how I felt during those many hundreds of hours I've spent volunteering in various hospital departments.  Hey, I did work there, loved it and they didn't pay me.  Now I'll get to go back to that environment, and even get a salary.  Doesn't get better than that, as a job, in my books!

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."
-- Confucius

Friday's inspirational words

Today's quote(s!) -- yes, 3 of them -- all come from Mother Teresa. 

 

She is a person whom I greatly admire.  I was priviledged enough to hear speak, and see in person from a very close distance, when she visited Canada many years ago.  I couldn't believe how tiny she was!!!  From the images I'd seen on TV, I knew she wasn't a tall woman, but when I actually stood a few people away from her, she was positively miniscule.  It still amazes me how one (tiny) person could accomplish such great things.  She did it all from the love she had for everyone.

 

I have read many of her quotes over the years, and always, the themes that underscore her work and life, are 'love' and 'peace'. 

 

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"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it."
— Mother Teresa

"May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." ..."
— Mother Teresa

"Peace begins with a smile."
— Mother Teresa

Friday's words of inspiration

Here is a poem I had on my bedroom wall during my high school years.  I still love the text as a whole, but I also find that individual sentences resonate at different times, depending on the situation at hand.

Enjoy!

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                     Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desiderata

Friday inspirational quote

Even though I manage to write in my blog once every few days, I think I need some structure in my blog writing.  From now on, every Friday I will post a quote I find inspirational, as applicable to career change, transition, and simply put, to life.

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“Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” - Buddha