The Voyage of a Hundred Tacks

Looking out my window, the beautiful Northern Michigan spring reminds me of change. Change. The simple word conjures many thoughts and images. Seasons change and so does life. Both remind me to prepare and encourage me to adapt.

How do I prepare and adapt? How do I know which direction to go in order to reach my goals?

A little over a year ago, after I was laid off from a very stressful job. The reality of being unemployed in today’s economy threatened to bury me under the weight of financial and emotional debris. Instead of sinking, I took the opportunity to assess where I wanted to be in 5 years or 10.

When I first moved to Traverse City almost two years ago, I was unemployed living out of my tent and having a blast kayaking and camping and gloriously living life as it came at me. I moved here not for a job or a relationship. I moved here because I wanted a change of scenery. I wanted to explore some place different for the sake of discovering more about myself.

Today, I’m actively and wonderfully engaged with a dynamic and wonderful company, surrounded by like-minded talented individuals who have a passion to make a difference.

What is my point?

My point is this: We have to be willing to explore options, be ready to adapt and be willing to change course at a moment’s notice. If we don't we can become lost or shipwrecked.

One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks". We can stay the course in familiar waters, or we can embark in new directions to seek new horizons. The voyage is not always the straightest course, but the destination is always reached if we are diligent and flexible.

Discovering what works or doesn't work and developing new ways of thinking, allows me to reach my destinations successfully. Thinking outside the box, being willing to try new things, considering different possibilities, brainstorming — all are tacks allowing me to move ever forward toward the direction of my dreams!