Faith + Work + Life

In a time where I find myself unsubscribing from more and more newsletters and substacks, I always make sure to review what James Clear sends on Thursdays. No one says it quite like he does, often stopping me in my overly wrought productivity focus: “Clarity is freedom. Know what is important to you and it will grant you the freedom to ignore everything else.”

People always have opinions. It takes merely a cursory scroll on social media or the comments section of even the most benign article online to see the divisiveness of culture on the dumbest of topics.

As a younger person, I can recall being frustrated that my parents would rarely issue an opinion on my life choices. Of course, now, as a middled aged person I see what a gift that was – to operate unencumbered by their preferences or dreams for me. They were not the parents who set their own dreams around what their children would do – they desired the best for us and for us to find our best possible paths. What a gift! And, that gift is no doubt part of how I find myself back in a faculty life, writing this post instead of quite yet being ready to face the literal mountain of grading that awaits me.

Interestingly, I experienced a variety of judgment from others when I decided to return to being “just a faculty member” (what a thing to say by the way…). Some of that was overt, some of it more subtle. But the messages included things like “but you’re gifted at administration” and “but why would you give up that path” or “I would never do that” or even “you will regret that later.”

How fascinating that others feel the need to weigh in so directly on what is obviously not their business…and yet! For me, a return to faculty life was a return to the original dream and a choice to resume some things I’d placed on hold to use my giftedness elsewhere for a time. I don’t regret that, but it was never the forever plan. Frankly, I’m not sure forever plans should exist! I try to remain open to possibilities in the future I cannot see now, callings to other work, or the chance to steward my giftedness well if asked to do so by God’s people.

So often in advising others, my guidance is “God seems to rarely say do this by this date or else.” But God does seem to give us the brains and hearts and abilities to make the right next choice. For me, the right next choice was evident and the timing was right. I don’t think God thinks “oh, she did the right thing” or that if I stayed in administration he would be plotting a sign to flash “wrong choice” in front of me. I’m not a theologian, but I’m confident that’s not God’s way.

But I do think that using my own brain and desires, I was able to gain clarity. That clarity was not an “aha!” moment one day, though perhaps it could be. Rather, in this case, the clarity came through intensive focus, discernment, and seeking my path. And so now, as Clear says, I have this freedom about me to ignore the chatter or commentary others have directed towards me, because honestly? It doesn’t really matter. I needed my clarity, and no one else can do that for me.