Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Give me a view of relief

I've made some big decisions for myself lately and I'm having to learn again and again to trust myself. I've decided to NOT attend graduate school in the fall...I know, I was so excited, right? I won't bore you with the ins and outs of my decision, but I will say I'm having to use my intuition and gut feeling and it's taking me in another direction (for now). I'm looking ahead, in a different direction, perhaps, and it's scary and uncomfortable but it's all mine, my way, my journey. How does this tie in to this post about rooms with views? Well, I'm not sure, but wherever I end up, I want the view to be as gorgeous as these...
I'll always have my doors open.
via Desire to Inspire
Maybe I'll live in a glass house in the mountains...
via Desire to Inspire
Or by the sea with the rhythm of the waves...
via Marie Claire Maison
Maybe in the forest canopied under the trees?
via Marie Claire Maison
Or maybe in a town where the high rises never get too high.
via Alvhem
Are you where you thought you'd be five years ago?
Next post will be less serious...promise.

54 comments:

Diana said...

whatever you decide is the right choice for you. grad school is tough, too. don't let anyone tell you otherwise! but if you do decide to go back, kudos.

Collins @ Life. Mostly Sweet. said...

Perfect timing as my post last night was Trust Yourself. It's not as easy as it sounds but it is something that can be learned. You will make the right decision - even if you change your mind one hundred times! Good luck!

Moments and Impressions said...

I am not at all where I thought I would be. I think that there is nothing wrong with having a plan, but plans change and grow as you grow. What was so important 5 years ago isn't so important now. You get a new perspective as you move through the world - a new view. Just listen to your mind and follow your heart. (At least that is what my mom tells me.)

Felicia|DaLipstickBandit said...

hell no! 5 years ago, i thought i'd be married and living in l.a. with a job in fashion

the guy? gone

i live? in nyc

the job? accounting

smh...but life has a way of opening paths greater than the ones we had our sights set on...if we just decide to commit to walking down them...

Christina said...

ha! nina you crack me up. "hell no" is absolutely right!

bananas. said...

oh god no! 5 years ago...i was 22, recently graduated w/ a degree in science, thought i would be an optometrist by now...uh no. that didn't happen. i'm now in business contracts, working for a huge corporation. office job. blah. but i do own about 5 pairs of glasses. does that count?

Naomi Rose said...

Omg. That room at the top is my absolute dream. This is my current room http://www.flickr.com/photos/jorgeregula/3035345254/ but I'd swap in a heartbeat for a view of the fields like that.

Mo said...

I love windows and natural light and being outside--ahh that glass house!! I want to live there!

I think changing directions is totally normal as you grow and learn more about yourself and the world. If you met me 5 years ago, I probably would have told you how my dream was to work and live in the art world in New York. Well, I did do that for one year, but was not happy and moved back to Calif.

If someone told me 5 years ago that I would be going to graduate school to become a children's librarian, I probably wouldn't believe them.

stacy di said...

big, life-decisions are always tough to make. your life's choices are limitless! wishing you the best, with everything you do :)

Jill GG said...

I am so with you on the "learning to trust yourself" - it seems to get harder as I get older - I thought I would be more confident in myself by now! But trusting your gut is wise, you won't regret that... and where ever you end up will be exactly where you were meant to be!

I am and at the same time am not where I thought I would be. It's hard to know and at the same time there are such lofty goals that I have sometimes that it is impossible to know if they are realistic.

Whew, I need something more light-hearted now - good discussion though!

ABSOLUTELY NOT MARTHA said...

beautiful views indeed! real question for me is 5 years from NOW--too deep for me to ponder at the moment. as the saying goes, 'it's the journey, not the destination.'

Sabine, La Marquise des anges said...

I would that following your intuition is a very good thing ... whatever you decide I wish you the best !!! I have had to make difficlut decision sometimes and I am now very happy with it !!

Ginger said...

Congratulations on following your heart. I got (and am still getting) such flak for deciding to move to the West Coast: people who feel I'm not ready, I'm not thinking it through, I'm not being sensible. I'm following my heart, doing what feels right (and planning my ass off!), and when you do that it doesn't matter how tough the road might be; you will always be on the right path. Follow your heart, and remember that you never need to justify doing so to anyone but yourself.
Sorry for getting preachy;)I just know what its like to make a huge decision and feel the ground shake beneath you.

Love the views, by the way;)

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

Good for you for going with your gut! And if you score one of those pads can I come over?

kes said...

everything will work out for you, miss brave thang. now, make me stop craving donuts. i'm going through a withdrawal i think.

TERI REES WANG said...

I am exactly where I need to be,..so it seems.

We all have the right to set goals, and then set them aside, to take another ride.

I tend to live a little too loosely, by never setting goals, and that in itself is a subtle way of self-sabotage. But, I take it all in stride.

Take your Self where you see your Self.

and in the meantime...
Be well. Do good. All ways. All days.

Anonymous said...

Just trust your instincts and you'll be fine!! Beleive in yourself and you'll be really happy.. One more thing.. whatever the view.. just learn to love it and appreciate it.. Life goes on!! All the best!

flynn said...

That it took me 15 minutes to remember what I thought I'd be doing now says something. I think I was going to be a teacher and know that I considered the great guy I'm with now to be a total cad. Moral (?) of the story - everyone changes, including ourselves. Plans should change, too. I know you'll do well. Kudos to you for figuring out what you want!

(btw - if you think that this course is better for you now, don't discount that this may be ... because it is :)

Amber said...

OH I LOVE the room by the sea!

I think it's great that you're going with your gut feeling. People need to do that more often!

Anonymous said...

Maybe not the exact house or job I wanted but for the most part, I do feel that I'm wear I wanted to be. I remember I wanted success, love, a home, to be married... I never gave myself to many specifics... I'm not in the profession I love, but at a time like this, I can't complain. I love my home, I think I just pictured something different...

tanya said...

only you know what's right for yourself--kudos to you for knowing what it is. I'm sure you're making the right choice for your life now! In the meantime, I'm going to daydream while staring at these pictures :-)

TheBeautyFile said...

sigh, sigh, double sigh...lovely photos...especially the top one...I want to go to there.

naphtali said...

breathtaking views. {I say...by the sea!!}

ticklishfromadistance said...

Follow your guts It's all yours. Great post!

UU said...

grad school is most time useless! but it also takes great courage to make a decision not to go! i believe in u!

drollgirl said...

good lord these homes are beautiful!

and i have no idea where i should be in my life right now or in 5 years. i am clueless like that. and it freaks me out if i think about it, so i am going to think about something else right now. wah!

beauty comma said...

Good luck Christina! - and congratulations on having made the decision! Hope you're on the right track.
Five years ago, I didn't have lots of plans, but now I do - ask again in five years!

Julia said...

I'm so proud of you for following your well-honed instincts! Bravo you! I hope that you will indeed be able to enjoy the beauty of these rooms and that your future will be even more gorgeous!

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

Life often doesn't always take us where we expect it to, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Five years ago I had no inkling of what I'd be doing now. But I am about to marry the boy I was dating then, which I suppose I knew (or hoped) I would. The career path has not led where I thought it would go, but in some ways that's a good thing. Who knows where I will be five years from now? Good luck Christina, wherever life may take you I wish you much happiness!

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

Oh, and how could I forget to comment on the gorgeous photos? All of those spaces are heavenly!

carolina @ patagonia gifts said...

I'm absolutely not where I thought I'd be. but a lot more happy! these views are sooo lovely!

Unknown said...

gorgeous images.. i love homes with great views.. i've always imagined one with a view of the beach/ocean... at least i got a view of a lake... about the best you can do in Houston.

Jillian said...

In response to your question -- not at all. I thought I'd be in the States with a degree in international relations. I naively thought I'd get out of college and have my dream job. Instead, I'm in Paris with degrees in Film and Communications. The job I FINALLY landed after over 100 applications? Operations coordinator at a shipping company. Yikes..

On another note, love the pics. And things have a way of working themselves out. And I firmly believe that if you don't want to be in school you shouldn't be, it's a waste of your time. Good luck with everything!

Aline said...

that's a tough one. we do own our own home, so yes...but this is not where I thought that I would live, so no.:)

Beth Dunn said...

5 years ago I would have never thought I'd be where I am. But it is 1/2 good 1/2 bad--but like you said It's all mine. I look over water ps. I like it a lot! xo

High-Heeled Foot in the door said...

Oh I totally know where you are coming from. I think that's great that you are Brave enough to make the decision to not go. You can always go later on if you decide that. It's never too late.

I was a chicken for a long time with my career move. I'm so happy I finally took the plunge, because now I'm making my way to where I thought I would be in 5 years.

Laura Trevey said...

follow your heart!!

Waxy said...

Good choice! I couldn't imagine going back to school - seems like its just a lot of money for a piece of paper these days anyhow!
As far as being where I thought I would be five years ago - hell no! But, luckily I am where I wished to be about 10 yrs ago location wise - just not career wise...yet!

The Professional Bridesmaid said...

Oh, I so needed those pics. Today was grey and gloomy in Toronto. Good luck with wherever your intuition takes you!!

Sixpence and A Blue Moon said...

I am new to reading your blog, but I know already you are a wonderful, talented, grounded, and intelligent woman - you'll do just fine. Unfortunately, in this game called 'life', we don't have the option of hindsight. But I believe if we think things through, we'll end up making the choice that is right for us.

Trust yourself!!!

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

I am NOT exactly where I need to be...but I glad I'm wiser with less emotional baggage to dragggg along... Great post dear! Love more windows & getting more light+view ~XO*

Rachel Follett said...

I am definitely not where I thought I would be but I think when you have your life all planned out it's just boring. It's like going on vacation for me. I know where I am going and I have an idea of where I am staying but the tiny details aren't quite filled in. Things always fall into place and work themselves out. I am pretty sure wherever you end up it will be great!

Charlie said...

I truly believe that you will always wind up exactly where you are meant to be. I made a similar choice after medical school and I can tell you all these years later that I am exactly where I should be. Good luck and do what feels right to you.

Swetha said...

you are very brave dear!! keep it up !

i loved the first picture!! its stunning!

inkWELL Press said...

I would take any of these places!

What a big decision... but it sounds like you really weighed it all out and chose what's best for you. Now, don't go second guessing yourself! (at least, that's what I always do after making a big decision!)

Good for you!

###### said...

Makes ya think?

Blair Friedeman said...

Christina, I have to say--good for you! It takes a pretty darn brave person to make that description and listening to your git can never lead you astray. I am absolutely not where I thought i would be five years ago and I am glad I am not. I am actually at one of those crux moments right now where I am trying to decide if I should stay in Wyoming or move back to Chicago--unfortunately my gut feelings change daily:)

Anne @ The City Sage said...

Grad school is NOT for everyone--in fact it's not even for most people! I found that out six weeks into a program--it was a hard decision to drop out, but it's worked out for the best. Though more challenging to take your own path instead of one that seems prescribed, it's certainly very rewarding at times! I commend your courage and look forward to following you on your journey!

kadler said...

Congrats! The only person that has to be satisfied with your decision is you - and since you are, I'm happy for you :)

I'm sort of where I thought I'd be in five years (from five years ago)... though I definitely didn't expect to live in Hong Kong!

Denise said...

That sure are some dream-views you'd like to live close to!

Meghan said...

Oh Honey, whatever you decide it will be for the best.:0) It takes a lot of courage to decide what you want and perhaps even more to decide what you don't want.

Samantha said...

Five years? Can't think that far ahead. Can't remember yesterday. What day is it anyway? You'll do great whatever you choose to do.

MissBliss said...

Wow!!! I remember the sheer joy of quitting a job and not having the next step figured out, yet feeling totally at peace.

I left a Ph.D. program once, and never looked back...

Trusting your intuition is always the way to go, no matter what...

xnapoleonx said...

Those are some really beautiful pictures

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