Day 23: Too lit…

Creating an OPUS that encompasses your aim for both work and play, labor and leisure, education and recreation is not an easy feat. Mine took nearly a decade and over a dozen versions until it clicked. If you’re at all like me, I hope this helps…

Last week during a team practice, one of the few wrote a letter to her teammates letting them know what she’ll be taking with her from our time together. You see, she’s retiring from a company after 30+ years of service and, my goodness, did she serve well. She explained the journey she’s been on and how it all came together for her. Finality has a way of bringing clarity, doesn’t it? She was real and raw. Her vulnerability brought us to the reality we’re all facing. She lit us up, every single one of us. I’m still lit, will be for a while, so are her teammates.

Here’s part of her letter, be lit too…

Team,

If you will indulge me, I want to share a bit of a journey I have been on for the past 2.5 years. This is relevant to where I am today as I leave Lockton, leave BTL and start my new journey. I have been thinking a lot about BTL, after announcing my retirement, and I have really struggled with how, and if I even wanted to try, to incorporate this work into my retired life. I have now answered that question, and I have laid out an exciting path for working on myself as a retired business woman.

In June of 2019, I started reading the Bible every day and continue this today. Just a few months later, I started with BTL at Lockton. Admittedly, I was a slow adopter. For a very long time, I saw no connection between these two “starts” in my life even though both journeys were happening at the same time. In my mind, it was business (BTL) and personal (the Bible). My perspective, and I realize it was wrong, was that BTL was solely about me as a leader at Lockton.

Today, I realize my study of the Bible and BTL are totally connected and together they provide the framework for who I am and why I am here. I do not have my retirement path all figured out yet. However, I do have a great first step. My plan for 2022 is to combine both journeys of studying the Bible and Becoming BTL. I will have a very different personal perspective with BTL. My work-on-self will be centered on building myself to be a great leader in my marriage, family, friendships, parish, and the causes I chose to be involved with.

With this clarity, I have finally taken a crack at writing my OPUS:

Overarching Vision:
— To live my life in an authentic way while continually improving as a Christian woman who loves, supports, gives back and inspires my family, friends, community and those I work alongside.

Purpose:
— When I leave this earth and I meet Jesus, I want to hear his words, “Well done my good and faithful servant”, because only then will I know I achieved my goals on earth.

Unifying Strategies:
— Improve self by reading a variety of non-fiction books and studying to comprehend and incorporate more complex narratives/ideas in my life
— Volunteer and work with non-profits whose mission is to serve others in need (Catholic Charities and others TBD)
— Prioritize and give my time freely to my family/friends/parish who need me and/or need support
— Establish a deep and personal relationship with each grandchild to be a loved and trusted anchor in their lives; just like my mother

Scorecard of Significance:
TBD