It’s wild to think how drastically life can change in only a year’s time.
Last July, I was roaming around Australia, having just completed my Master’s, and anxiously applying for jobs. A phone call out of the blue one sunny day in the Outback landed me a job in Atlanta, Georgia. I headed back to New York and packed my bags. My room was so tiny a twin size bed wouldn’t even fit. It reminded me of the closet Harry Potter slept in before he was whisked off to Hogwarts.
My solution to this problem was to buy an ottoman that had a pull out spring cot. For a year, I pulled this makeshift bed out each night when I returned from late nights in the Columbia library. That room cost was $1,200 a month. My six housemates at the time were unfortunately not so aware of cleanliness. The bathroom was a place I dared not venture into, so I showered in Columbia’s gym. I kid you not. So, it comes as no surprise that I was eager to start a career that would afford me the opportunity to provide for myself.
Now, it’s July in Georgia and my life is so far away from where it was only a year ago. My lifestyle, relationships and career have progressed in leaps and bounds and it is hard for me to fathom how rapidly things have changed.
Sometimes I feel like God and the energies of the universe magically swept me into another reality. And while there is truth to the above, I also believe this sudden transformation can be attributed to something else – momentum. Even when there was no clear indication of success ahead, each day I worked towards the future I desired. Regardless of where I had to shower or what I slept on, the feeling of progress satisfied me and encouraged me to continue along the path I had chosen. Momentum and knowing I am improving and developing myself is what brings the most happiness and fulfillment to my life. Once I have reached a destination, I will always map out a new one. So, it’s not arriving to a goal that I truly seek. It’s the continuous feeling of progress. And I’ll be the first to attest that momentum can transform our lives in the blink of an eye. All we must do is to create it.