Choosing the Right Path with a Fork in the Road

In college, one of my professors at CSU spent a great deal of time talking about Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory about the stages of life.  The last of the eight stages was Ego Intergrity vs. Despair.  Sounds daunting, doesn’t it?  Well, the short of it is this: we all come to a stage in our life where we reflect over our choices.  We either feel a sense of fulfillment or we might be chock full of bitterness and venom.  Or of course, anywhere in between.

My reflection started early in life. The lesson affected me and urged me to be more aware.  It seemed to be working until my health started to greatly deteriorate a few years back.  In the theory, this stage usually comes around retirement or near aged 65.  I was only fifty.  My patience was stretched thin with hormonal issues and lack of sleep.  Stress was my constant companion.  If that wasn’t enough, my blood pressure was hitting three digits consistently.  The last straw was when the doctor told me that I was allergic to gluten, dairy, soy, and certain nightshades. What? Are you  kidding me?

So, I quit my job and started writing a novel.  The change has really worked.  My health is stronger and my body is fitter than it has ever been. My life is so much less chaotic.  In reflection, the realization hit me that it was all about the fork in the road.  My choices were to stay in the life I was living, stressful and unfulfilling or to try something different.  It took listening to my higher self and asking what was the best use of my time in this last third of my life.   It was more about being a teacher, a humantiarian and a wisdom giver rather than an adviser.  Sure, helping others with their finances was fulfilling yet my yearnings took me in another direction.

My goals and energies now are focused on empowering women both financially and spiritually.  The lesson for all of us is to find something we love doing and start doing it.  If you are in the wrong job or on the wrong career path, start now to make the necessary changes.  Do whatever it takes to get where you need to be. Take one step at a time but start. For heavens sake and your own, just  get started.