: ) Thanks, Sarah. This is one of my favorite posts.

Claire, I appreciate your thoughts here, but it’s not the empty nest that created the muddle. I could not have been more ready for this next stage. Not knowing my own mind, I’m sure, had its genesis in my overly private nature, and then things spiraled out from there, as I’ve discovered.

It’s funny when considering your stated purpose for this project, but the more I read your posts, the more in awe I am of how much you have always understood yourself. All the travel, the discovery of landscape, the pursuit of profession and family. It’s like you’re now plotting the map of a very long, targeted search and discovery mission. I absolutely do not know–and absolutely never have known–my own mind in this kind of detail. Maybe I’d like this, maybe I’d like that. I go through the doors that open, then try to figure out if I’m in the right room (or building, even, or city). The MFA was my first really intentional, entirely self-directed journey, and trying to self-direct from then on has been very slow and tough going.

If the empty nest has left you a bit muddled, a bit turned-around, that wouldn’t be surprising for someone who has always been so good at knowing what the next thing should be and how to manage it. Is this why it feels like you don’t know your mind? B/c you’re not completely sure which next step is the right one? If so, does that have anything to do with wanting things, now, that aren’t really about achieving goals?

Ha, yes, Helena, step by step…

Well, it sounds to me like you thought correctly 🙂 After all, really, any big project needs to be scaled down/broken down into smaller and smaller steps, and that’s what effective productivity (regardless as to what type) depends on: steps! 🙂

Thanks, Donna–I couldn’t figure out any other way to learn it all : )

I was so happy to read your comment, Louise. After I wrote that first paragraph, I read it over and thought what a nut case and almost deleted it. But that was me alright. So nice to know you now too. I look forward to more of your comments.

It’s funny how we each have our own way to go about things—our individual processes. We can hear all the hints, tips and recommendations from all different sources, and whether or not we glean from them, we still have to make it our own in a way that works/fits.