By Dominic Ward
03-03-2010
Beginnings—A New Chapter of Life
By Dominic Ward
“A new beginning” that's an evocative
phrase, isn't it? It conjures up images of adventure; of starting a new
chapter in life; of self-empowerment through proactive decision making.
The opportunities for a new
beginning in life are abundant – even if we are not fully aware of them
(or choose to ignore them). If we don't seize (or at least consider the
merits of) each potential new beginning, then perhaps we're not giving
ourselves the opportunity to even get started in life.
I recently embarked upon
several new beginnings, the most noteworthy of which (at least from the
perspective of breaking from social expectation) was my decision to
abandon my legal career after 11 years. It is not an exaggeration to say
that that decision has changed the direction of the rest of my life.
However, the reason for that change of direction was because I had long
felt that my life was travelling down the wrong path – a path that I
never consciously chose but which had been thrust upon me. When the
opportunity for a new beginning presented itself, I had no doubt that I
had to at least give it a try. In 30, 40 or (if I'm lucky and still have
possession of all my faculties) 50 years' time, I want to be able to
look back on my life and feel satisfied that I seized opportunities for
new adventures, and lived my life to the full in accordance with my priorities
for what makes a meaningful life.
A new beginning in any part
of your life – whether starting a new job or a new relationship;
relocating to a new city or country; or assembling a new blog – can be
inspiring and exciting, and almost inevitably evokes a range of
emotions. It is full of hope and anticipation; of, perhaps, a fear of
the unknown; and of a degree of mourning for what was left behind. But
this, really, is what life should be all about: testing ourselves by
facing up to new (and hopefully stimulating and rewarding) challenges.
Each new beginning in life is almost certain to present a worthy new
challenge of some sort or other.
By embarking upon a new
beginning, we are obliged to reminisce (at least briefly) about what
that “beginning” is replacing – as a new chapter of life commences, an
earlier chapter inevitably closes. As Seneca (the Roman philosopher) is
attributed with saying: “every new beginning comes from some other
beginning's end”. That process of reminiscing is important (if sometimes
emotionally difficult): it serves to remind us how fleeting life is,
and of the importance of living a full and varied life.
Life is, in many ways, like
a book: it is made up of a number of chapters; there's a beginning, a
middle and an end; during the course of the story, we're likely to
encounter a hero (or two) and, most likely, more than one villain; and,
if it was a good book, we might hope to learn a few lessons, laugh, cry
and increase our understanding of who we are or of the world around us.
When each of us comes to
look back on the lives that we have led, how pivotal will those various
new beginnings in our lives (whether embarked upon or ignored) prove to
have been? Doubtless some new beginnings may have led to nowhere; others
may have improved the quality of our lives (and even the lives of those
around us) more than we could ever have foreseen at the time. However,
one thing is for sure: taking the time to identify the opportunities in
life to embark upon a new beginning is a valuable endeavour - each new
beginning is the opportunity to write a new chapter of our lives; to
experience a new adventure. Like any good book, life should be full of
adventure.
D. Ward, 18 March 2010
11 comments:
Dominic, it's nice seeing you over here at RBU. It's always a pleasure to read your work. I admire your courage to leave a comfortable and high profile career to follow a path with heart. And *so* jealous you are jetting off to my favorite place in 5 short months!
Giving up your established career must have been such a massive decision - well done on being brave enough to make it! "Taking the time to identify opportunities" absolutely worth doing - quite right. :-)
Hi kbxmas. Thanks for your kind words.
I'm very excited to be going "down under" this autumn for the first time in years. My fiancee hasn't been back since she left to become a lawyer in London 4 years ago (and stumbled into me), so it'll also be quite a treat for her. It'll also be my first meeting with my future in-laws. Eek. Nonetheless, roll on September...
Hi Glen. Thanks for your comment.
Whether I was brave or rash will likely be determined by the passage of time over the next few years but so far my new "interests" are going well, and not for a second do I regret my decision (he says, whilst looking out over miles of verdant countryside bathed in the early morning spring sunshine, breathing in the smell of petunias wafting through his office window).
Dominic-congratulations for having the courage to sally forth into the unknown and tread your own path in life! I'm sure there'll be challenges ahead, but they're immeasurably more fun and rewarding than regrets.
Dominic,
Very thoughtful post! Every ending is a new beginning. I wish you much luck and joy!
I started a new job (but doing the same thing) this last week. It's been quite a thrill. Enjoy the ride of life!
Very interesting Dominic! - I recently read an interview with action actor Gerard Butler (who found fame in 300) - by all accounts he was a very high flyer in the legal profession, then one day,he just headed off down london with no previous / formal acting experience and followed his dream.
Good luck!
I likewise offer enthusiastic congratulations, Dominic! I'm also a career-changer who sought more meaning in life than financial consulting (and found it in teaching), and I've more recently started a new beginning upon relocating to the UK from the States. You capture so well how such changes are incredibly formative experiences filled with challenge and risk, but infinite reward if approached in the right mindset. Very excited that you're not only embracing what life deals, but proactively seeking out your own beginnings.
Did you hear that Dominic? You're following in the footsteps of Gerard Butler! Hubbuda hubbuda. Soon you will find fame and fortune as a best-selling author/workshop leader/fill-in-the-blanker helping people all over the world to give their lives meaning. Your fiance will have to fight off hordes of scantily clad women vying for your affection. Life is rich indeed.
Really nice review! Unboxing is the best part of getting something! thanks for a nice post.
Really nice review! Unboxing is the best part of getting something! thanks for a nice post.
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