“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

A question I sometimes ponder & even roughly inquire with others (in the most genuine, inquiring minds, I’m interested in your life, your kids are adorable, “you have a cat too?!” sort of way), though it doesn’t seem very reasonable to me, when given further thought.

There was a time when people would often ask me where I saw myself down the line. I would pull something from thin air or rattle off a customary return: career, settle down, happy. Typical stuff. I guess the lapse of time between previously being asked that & this weekend have me providing a very different answer…

Where do I see myself in five years? I’m not sure but I don’t intend on forming an indestructible plan or idea of what my future is; my plans don’t [necessarily] likely pan out. What I am sure of at this point, however, is that I want to do what makes me joyful & exercise my gifts; write, be a steward to my beautiful skin care clients & continue traveling with the possibility of joining a non profit one day. I intend on living for passion rather than a paycheck; with purpose rather than passivity. To live in prayer for the hurting hearts of others while seeking the continual work in my own. And all the while, living in pursuit of simplicity.

I suppose rather than “where do I see myself in five years” I see it as “what do I desire of my next five years”.

“Where do you see yourself” brings such conclusion; a destination that’s been [hypothetically] predetermined.

“What do you desire” promotes the journey and what we plan on contributing to it.

Big dreams, goals & even “fell into my lap” moments are all a reflection of our daily contributions; our investment of time & energy. I acknowledge that previously on my journey I found frustration due to certain opportunities or circumstances not going my way with only the end result in sight. But what were my daily contributions? How was I becoming better? How was I contributing to those around me rather than myself alone? And with only the end in sight [where I saw myself in five years] how many every day wonders was I missing out on?

Therefore, what I desire of my next five years is to live in joy, pursuit & passion — of Jesus, others & my gifts.

Where I am in five years will come & go; hopefully my contributions will make a longer, lasting impression.

#InPursuit

#Journey

#BartlettArb | Circa Spring 2014