When You Have No Answers

In a goal oriented world, where do you find your place if you don’t have answers yet?

 

That is who I want to find. That is who I think would get the most out of reading this blog.

 

Because we don’t have just one answer. No one thing clicks life into place. Some things work for a while, life evolves, things happen, and we’re back to searching.

 

This is probably why my blog posts have more questions than answers in them. Because I don’t have answers. Because by the time I have answers they will have expired.

 

When You Have No Answers

 

When You Have No Answers

 

Slightly over two years ago I got my first permanent job. It was the regular income I craved after so many years of contract work.

 

My questions have change in this time. Years ago I would have questions like:

  • Will funding for my position be renewed or should I start looking for work two months before my contract expires?
  • Will I end up burning bridges by leaving when, at the last minute, they could renew my job?
  • Why is the burden of loyalty placed on the person in the most vulnerable position?

 

Today my questions are more along the lines of:

  • How do I find fulfilment? My job keeps me busy but it doesn’t relate to my education & things I want to do.
  • What on earth do I do about my consulting business using my educational skills when I feel like the industry and LITERALLY every single person I’ve spoken to about it is confused about the concept of remote work?
  • Am I blaming others for not having had any consulting work when I have done nothing much to market it or explain the parts that confuse people?
  • What haven’t I done?
  • Am I too far ahead of the curve in a conservative field?
  • Is it a conservative field?
  • Will I find balance that suits me as a part time employee and part time freelancer?

 

Being ok with not having the answers is not always where I’m personally “at” though. In the video below I talk through some of my thoughts about books, writing and publishing in the “online world”.

 

 

What questions do you have about your life? Do you have a way you find answers, or are you happy to sit with the questions?

 

14 Replies to “When You Have No Answers”

  1. I have numerous questions right now especially as I’ve just accepted a voluntary redundancy and am trying to work out what direction to go in career and work wise.

    I don’t think anyone ever would have no questions. It’s just our questions are constantly changing and evolving.

    Ingrid
    http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      That is a big place of questions to be in!! I hope you get some clarity with it.

    2. wow. I wondered how things were for you only recently. I hope you find what you want…when you know! I found retirement was nothing like I expected at first because I was so used to ‘my work life. Denyse x

  2. multi-potentialite!

    I prefer to read via kindle.

    we don’t write as experts, we write as our experience of a topic.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      That is a good point. I don’t usually use the word expert that much either. I don’t know why I got stuck on it!

  3. Good luck sorting that one out.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      Haha that’s kind of how I feel about it all!

  4. As I’ve gotten older and my life has gotten more busy, I’ve become comfortable with having some unanswered questions in my life. They’ve been more in the personal life rather than professional side of things. I like my working world to be precise and structured. That’s probably a function of my industry and the way employment in it is organized as well as my personal preference.

    Thanks for the thought provoking post.

    SSG xxx

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      Oh I definitely mean more of a personal side of things. Professionally it depends so highly on what we actually do 🙂

  5. I find it difficult to adjust to retirement and am constantly asking myself what I can do to keep my life fulfilled.

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      It must be a strange adjustment, especially if your working life was quite structured.

  6. I have lots of questions too and most times, don’t have the answers! I think sometimes, it’s just sitting with the unknown and uncertainty.

    Also, with your thoughts — you don’t have to follow what people say re writing one thing — follow your dream. Start with the book you want to write and write it; then write all the other stuff you want to write. And people still buy a lot of books and not just ebooks.

    P.S. Your editing skills are awesome!

    1. Vanessa Smith says: Reply

      I think I might just have to go ahead with what I want to write and work out the rest of it later. Otherwise I just won’t write!
      ps – my editing is sooo not fancy 🙂 Just add three clips together, clip the bouncy bits when I hit stop and half drop the phone, add a pre-set iMovie title thingy… only takes a few mins to edit this together.

  7. It is something I do too but then I also have some answers that usually work. It is a day to day thing for me. I have plans that are around cancer treatment visits to Sydney, blogging on 2 days a week, seeing my dad every few months, doing something creative each day, and going out for a coffee. It sounds incredibly boring and mundane but it is the life I have right now.

    I cannot go looking for a house to buy (not enough money yet) and I am not motivated (yet) to look for the next rental. I had no idea what retirement would be like for us but I need to see it as a day that is more gently eased into than the work week/grandkid care week..Even now , in my 4th year I still look for MORE to do because that is who I am…and then I actually realise I am 68 and I don’t HAVE to anymore.

    Life, hey!

    Thanks for linking up for #lifethisweek 11/52. Next week’s optional prompt is “From My Window I See…” Denyse

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