The spa in my mind

I know it has been awhile since I have written. I had my interview at Indiana University and a week later was offered the job! I now work Monday through Friday from 8AM to 4:30PM at the Office of the Bursar as their Receptionist. Unfortunately, it is only a temporary job ending in January but for now I am happy that I am out of the house and active!

My commute from Bowling Green to Bloomington is a 50 mile trip, one way. It takes me approximately an hour to drive this distance and I make the trip twice a day, to work and back home. The commute has given me lots of time to listen to stories and news updates on NPR which makes me feel connected to the world outside of myself. Surprisingly though, what has proven to be even more useful is the time I sit in silence during my drive and just think. 

Everyone I know is constantly rushing from place to place. We live in a society where the ability to successfully multi-task is coveted and taking your work home is how you get ahead. With our brains being taxed to switch concentrations every minute to keep up with the pace around us, we rarely take the time to simply think about our lives; Am I happy? What do I want in life? Where am I heading? What happened last weekend? Who do I want to receive the Republican candidacy? Should we get another dog?

Exploring theses questions and allowing my mind to wonder through the 'junk pile' in my brain is refreshing. Almost like purging your email box or cleaning out the clutter in your closet. Taking the time to 'think' instead of reacting to the million situations that pop up in a day can really change your perspective on life. I know it sounds silly but it's true! After a long drive home I feel refreshed and calm.

So instead of being upset about the amount of time I spend commuting, I have decided to turn it into a spa hour for my mind. I purge and allow room for new thoughts and ideas to enter without the old taking up space and find that I have more patience to listen to others without the distraction of my thoughts getting in the way.

As for job prospects after my temporary position ends, I have one pending. I interviewed for a position in the Office of the Registrar at SUNY (State University of New York) and will find out this week if I move onto the next round of interviews. As part of my commuting purging I have decided that if I do not have a job lined up by the end of January I will go to New York for the month of February to job hunt, hopefully staying with friends while I fill out applications and go on interviews. I will keep you posted as the months progress!