Every day we take another step or two, mostly forward, and sometimes sideways, or back. We move into the job more completely, or less so. Into our marriage in a new way, or maybe not. Or move into an encore career, sad to let go of the big ol’ career, or perhaps relieved.
We keep moving, aligning as many parts of our poly-phrenic, many-sided selves (schizophrenic is too simple—we are way more than just two) as we can muster in the same direction. Sometimes it is easy and simple, and often it is a chore, and nuanced or worse, downright confusing.
Lots of artists metaphor out (a rare verb form of the word created solely for this post) this “moving on” thing —here are a few .
In a little gem of a southern novel I’d highly recommend called Cold Sassy Tree, one character comments on the death of a loved one:
“Taint nothing fair about death, but it sure keeps things moving on.”
In 100 Years To Live, the song I blogged about a bit ago, there is the line:
Another blink of an eye, 67 is gone, the sun is getting high, we’re mo-o-ovin’ on.
And Sheryl Crow sang about how hard it is to get aligned, Everyday is a Winding Road.
…I’m just wondering why I feel so all alone Why I’m a stranger in my own life… Every day is a Winding Road…I get a little bit closer Every Day is a faded sign….I get a little bit closer
Closer to what, Sheryl? Alignment and feeling fine? I wonder if she ever found a straight stretch of highway?
So here’s to moving on. It is July, still the beginning of the second half of the year. Here’s hoping as many parts of you are lining up for moving down your current road, winding or straight, hilly or flat.
And here are three tips for the action oriented, which might help that happen:
- Observe yourself for the alignment factor on over the next week: when is it easy to be aligned, and when is it tougher and you moved ahead anyway, out of necessity? Did a decision have to be made, or was it habit?
- Take one of your roles—boss, coach, author—that is absorbing some time, and observe yourself in it for your alignment—are you all in, part in, barely in? (Small example: I was all in watering my yard when this dry season started—we have no grass, just lots of cool plants. Now many weeks into it, I am not all in, it is a chore and I have to keep it up anyway because I love those plants.)
- Recall two memories: one when you were all aligned and moving on was easy, and one when you were less aligned, maybe barely aligned, and you moved on anyway. What happened and what did you learn? (Example: I was all in writing my last book, especially the last year. Then I got all in for marketing the book in 2011. After 8 months of promoting, I could muster only parts of me—it was time to move on to new work.)
Move on, poly-phrenic ones. Use your will power when you need to, and don’t overdo it. The unaligned parts are speaking to you—so listen. It’s a winding road.
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