Friday, September 2, 2011

The Hand You Were Dealt

By Jaime Willis

Imagine that your life is one big card game. In the game, you can Shuffle, Deal, Play, or Toss in.




Shuffle
This stage can be exhausting, exciting, and sometimes both. The previous stage of your life is over, and a new one has not yet begun. You may be exhausted and worn out by the previous stage and use this time to reflect and restore your energy. You may be excited about all the new opportunities that await you and look forward to jumping back in the game.

Deal
This stage is really a time of action. You have chosen which new experience you want to get involved in and you are taking all the right steps to make it happen. In this stage, you feel confident and optimistic about the outcome of your game and ready to take on the challenges that arise.

Play
This stage is where the real work comes in. In order to meet your goal, you need to stay the course, through the good and bad times. Your goal may become unclear as new information presents itself or new obstacles arise. You may feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew, or feel overwhelmed by the work. On the other hand, you may feel energized by your work and excited to be a part of the game.

Toss In
This is the ending of this stage of your life. You may have gotten all you wanted out of this stage and feel satisfied and ready to move on. You may have chosen to do something different and as a result need to end this stage of the game. Your ending may be a positive or negative one, but you will feel a sense of loss and mourning either way.

Think about where you are in certain aspects of your life -- what stage of the game are you in? Are you looking for a new position that better fits your career goals (shuffle)? Are you making plans and taking the steps to buy a new home (deal)? Are you enjoying the camaraderie of training for a marathon with your teammates (play)? Are you moving to new city (toss in)?

Need help getting through the transition? Check out my previous post on Changes.

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