Breaking Through

I was having a discussion with some peers and realized that in our jobs, we can easily become domesticated, like animals. We become used to the routine, know when to expect whatever may come down the pike. Complacent. It's a dangerous spot to get into, but common. It happened to me. I became complacent, robotic, like that bean counter on the assembly line, not focusing (or caring) about the job in front of them, but still able to "get the task done" and do it well.

I needed a shift. I missed the drive, the passion, that I knew was somewhere inside of me, but had gotten lost in a stack of paperwork and a dark office. I had become that domesticated animal. The animal that knew what to expect and lazily accepted it, instead of taking a risk and breaking through, releasing myself back into the wild.

I quit my job as a social worker. I left all the comfortable things that I knew - my friends, family, apartment, and my city! I went to Africa. I worked with incredible social workers, who broke down barriers, putting their blood, sweat, and tears into what they believed. Without money, just support and willingness to make a difference. I became alive. I started to feel something burning inside (and it wasn't my heartburn that plagued me in the City)! It was desire, it was freedom, it was the strength to know I can make a difference, and do so outside of the box, in a different role. Breaking through.

Yes, I rode an ostrich, walked with elephants, hiked mountains, jumped out of an airplane, boarded down sand dunes, camped in the desert for two weeks, got fleas, swam with Hippos, white water rafted in the Zambezi River, and saw more stars that I though even existed! I didn't do it to feel alive, I did these things because I am alive. I have truly allowed myself to experience everything that is out there in the "wild".

As I settle into the urban safari that is New York City, I realize the safety I felt in the African bush is wavering. My reality is daunting, but I'm ready for it and willing to do whatever it takes. I won't allow myself to be domesticated again, needing the energy that comes from allowing yourself to be unleashed, outside of the barriers and into the wild.