GETTING BACK ON TRACK

I’ve been thrown off track recently and unable to keep going forward, my usual mode of day-to day-activities.  I am not on any kind of schedule and that’s a good thing most of the time, as I prefer flexible and adaptable

I was derailed by being sick for a couple of days, an uncomfortable and nasty inconvenience. I have also been off track for a week or so in the writing department. Nothing seemed to be coming together or getting any traction at the end of my fingers.  None of what I was putting down seemed worthwhile from my perspective.  It was something more than the critical self and whether just a dry spell or too many other diversions I can’t say with any clarity.  In fact, part of what was missing was clarity or focus.

Most of us have had some kind of event that has thrown us off track, hopefully temporarily.  It’s not always easy to resume, like pushing the button on speed control.  There are obvious reasons why it’s difficult to regroup energy, purpose and drive to continue. 

There are those life events that range from the death of a loved one, a serious illness of a family member or one’s self, and less major occurrences that can include being temporarily disabled, or laid low for awhile.  Losing a job or not succeeding when submitting a proposal or a manuscript  can throw us off track. So can a number of other things that you and I can name.

When I could not reconnect with my sense of purpose and the desire to continue writing, I had a hard time convincing myself that the effort and energy required would be worthwhile. I considered the effect of a lowered pool of energy, a lack of fuel. I entertained a thought that it would be easier to quit and do something else with my time.  I have a lot of time and many choices. The truth is that whatever I chose as an option might not be easier, just different. The encouragement and well-intended support of others can be helpful at times. However, their answers may not be what would be effective for me.

What I realized, coming out of my stupor or torpor, was that I needed to to step back and “recalibrate.” That was a term I learned from an Intel employee. Pauline C. used the term when she meant that we needed to have another look and see if our measurements were accurate and aligned with our purpose. Her experience from another industry helped me on numerous occasions to take another, different approach.  It fits the “on track” metaphor because trains run on tracks that are calibrated and recalibrated.  In the U.S. most tracks are exactly 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ inches wide or ​1.435 mm.  When I was much younger, in 1953, and worked on the railroad, we spent many days replacing worn out ties, lining tracks and making sure they were the exact, correct width and aligned straight and proper.  Now machines do that job.

Here is what I did to recalibrate and get back on track.

·     Took some extra time and didn’t try to push or rush to a conclusion. Let things marinate for awhile.

·     Made time for myself to assess physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs, and attending to those for good health.

·     Talked to a few others who understand and appreciate these challenges and perceived obstacles.

·     Started with building a simple step-by-step plan and adjusted it as needed. Took a few small steps, one at a time as a way of moving forward.

·     Found value and clarity in spending some quiet time, alone doing nothing.

·     Explored some entirely different options and activities.

·     Remembered that each day is a gift and what I make of it is up to me.

·     Checked in on my “attitude of gratitude” and how I might appreciate and express that in a different way.

·     Read, listened, watched and paid attention.  There are clues out there.

I looked at all of this in a larger context of a bigger picture and saw that “when we change the way we look at things, the things we’re looking at changes”  

(Favorite quote, Max Planck, Nobel Prize Physicist, 1918)