The Crossroads and the Couch

This one’s a little different from my usual pieces. Funny how perspective shifts when you step into new spaces. So here’s the update: I resigned. Yep, another office job gone. Okay fine, it wasn't just an office job.  That job gave me the chance to hone skills I didn’t even know I had. But, like the caterpillar I am, my wings finally came in and it was time for a new adventure. Adventure: loading.

I’ve transitioned from office walls to working anywhere with a solid internet connection, in a role I never thought I’d be interested in. But that’s not why I’m here today. Today, I felt the pull to be anywhere but home so as you can imagine, when the invitation came, I didn’t hesitate. So here I am, in this large, prominent space, surrounded by the who’s-who. Yet, the hideous couch and the smell of coffee feels oddly familiar.

And while I’m getting work done, thoughts start flooding in. All the things I want to do. And just like that, full-circle, I'm back to my first love: writing. It’s always been my therapy. The truth is, I’m still at a crossroads. Do I leave the country? Leave the city? Change my number? Maybe even my last name? The possibilities are endless, and maybe that’s what keeps me going.

I’ve been many things. And yet the one thing that has always stayed with me meets me here at this crossroads. It’s almost scary. Ever heard the phrase “sitting on a gold mine”? That’s you. That’s me. That’s all of us with our talents waiting.

I am: writer, poet, singer. But I’ve also been presenter, producer, special projects coordinator, and now, sales and marketing assistant. Okay... Not bad...boring. Last night, a friend sent me a flyer for a competition; art, poetry, music. And I knew instantly: no. I hate competitions. But it reminded me of something; a gift I got one Christmas that I never opened. Still gathering dust.

Creative outlets matter. And I thought, what would I even write? They’ve put me in a box. And I hate boxes. But if I really sat down to write something — anything — there would always be something.

So here I am. A September Friday, outside my home office, this close to a crisp glass of white wine. Just a few more minutes and it’s mine. And I think: if I can be intentional about that, why not about my dreams? Why not make a plan? Why not go after what I already know belongs to me?

This space may have a hideous couch and a heavy coffee scent, but here I can still write. I can still sing. I can still perform. I can still create. And that’s the message — work with the now. Step outside the box. Leave the “safe zone.” Enter the uncomfortable places that stretch you. Because that’s where growth happens.

Each step matters. Go get that dream. Plan for it. Do it. You won’t regret it.

Thanks for coming to my "Tash" talk- This time next week- Maybe?