Wrong Lane

I noticed an atmospheric shift happen on March 15th.  As a result I felt led to record a video of hope, positivity, and advise my network on LinkedIn to not make emotional career decisions at this time.

For the next five days, it was the most surreal emotional rollercoaster that I found myself on… and I know I wasn’t the only one.

I decided that week I was going to focus on sharing positive news and laughter.  Later I added dancing as a coping mechanism because isolation is real tough for a girl that needs an equal balance of people time and alone time.

As I began to think of the article I would write for this month, I remembered a picture from my high school days that perfectly showed evidence that I was not to become a designer, but that I would / should continue to be a cheerleader / coach.

After about a minute of deliberation, I decided I will share this embarrassing photo with you because: 

a.) it should bring laughter

b.) if it did, then I accomplished one of my goals

…. and ….

c.) if you learn from my mistakes, that’s even better!

Let me give you some backstory first.

In the early ‘90s, my sister was about to be my ex-roommate because she was being given the coveted new basement bedroom.  At first I was jealous, and then once I realized spiders would be more likely to visit downstairs, I was like “you go for it sis!”

With the new basement renovation, she got to pick out the new decorations and all that fun stuff.  Yeah, totally jealous of that part.  Who doesn’t want new teal carpet and a flower boarder of wallpaper?  My parents told me when they redecorated the upstairs in a couple of years, I could have my bedroom re-done.

Imagine my glee.

Now the irony of all of this is that it was around this time that I began to think about what I should do when I grow up.  This would be approximately Junior High.  I am an equal balance of serious by nature and knows how to laugh and have fun.  But for any future thinking… definitely focused!

When my mom and dad gave me free rein to work with the interior decorator for my bedroom reno, I was excited.  I basically took elements of each of my girlfriend’s designed bedrooms and brought it all together.  I had not yet learned the art of “less is more…”

Lord Have Mercy.

Now don’t blame the interior decorator… I can be quite tenacious and convincing.  She also was more than happy to have specialty wallpaper, custom-made bedspread, and custom-made draperies as part of this project’s order.

Two things happened in this season, I set my eyes on the pinnacle of design which was to be an architect and I made the cheerleading squad.

Thank goodness I landed in a role of a technical architect for my first career.  And for any of my prior design colleagues reading this, I’m sure you’re glad, too!

Sometimes we can find ourselves in the WRONG LANE.  And sometimes it can be as simple as looking back on our life to find where did we take a wrong turn.

Learning from the past is ideal, but being stuck in it is awful.  If you find yourself struggling with this pandemic and you have always felt like you are supposed to do something else… then the answer is you probably are.

Maybe going to the old photo albums, as I did to find this gem below, will bring you to a place of joy, laughter, and discovery.

It should be noted that the boys Junior High basketball team won the State Championship the same year I made cheerleading squad… and years later my High School football team won State… coincidence that I also happened to be a football cheerleader?  I think not.  😉