According to my way over priced text book there are 4 distinct stages that an person will go through during their professional life.
1. The establishment stage (ages 21-26)
2. The advancement stage (ages 26-40)
3. The maintenance stage (ages 40-60)
4. The withdrawal stage (age 60 and above)
Now this is all prefaced with the fact that there are plenty of things that will preempt or prolong these stages; however, there still are four stages to go through.
Personally, I can only reference my own walk through these stages and come to my own conclusions on where I am at in any one of these stages.
I am 25 years old, which should put me at the declining point of the establishment stage. Naturally, I start to question if this is true. Have the past four years of my life been all about trying to figure out what I am created and designed to do? Have I been stressed about my competence and potential? Have I been dependent on others, especially bosses and more experienced professionals for guidance, support, and feedback? Do I feel like the past four years have brought about the opportunity to explore possibilities while learning about my own capabilities?
Yes to them all!
I can remember my 21st birthday like it was just yesterday. Sitting in one of my friends apartments in Jordan, after a long day of painting and cleaning down at the English center. Surrounded by a little more than a half dozen people encouraging me and celebrating with me. See it was only four months before this moment that I decided it was time for me to figure out what I was made to do. I packed up and bought a one way plane ticket to Colorado Springs. Crazy! But so worth it.
For six months I was poured into by fellow believers, friends, and mentors. People that I will always cherish and feel like they had a tremendous influence on who I am today and will be tomorrow.
Then for another 6 months I sat under the teaching and mentoring of one of the most influential couples I have ever had the privilege to walk through life with. This couple took me under their wing, encouraged me, helped guide me, and most importantly prayed with me. I can still remember sipping coffee with them in Thailand, chatting with them about how hard it is to walk in the will of God and to honestly believe that you have heard from Him on a direction you could take with your life.
Next was a season of rest and reflection. For a few months I spent time writing and developing my passion for communication in Kona, Hawaii. I was blessed to develop friendships with several professionals there that I have come to deeply respect and look up too. I can remember one women specifically during that season that I will always be thankful for. She spoke the truth, whether that was to push me to write more, or to completely start over. She was tough but caring, loving, and patient with me.
My passion for learning continued to grow once I got back to Colorado Springs. I was 22 and still searching for something that fit who I was designed to be or become. I had a friend and his wife suggest project management as a direction to go educationally. As I looked into it more I found it very fascinating and decided to pursue it. I am now just a few months away from having my degree in Project Management from Colorado Technical University and am starting the process of deciding what I want to do after that.
These past four years have definitely brought about the opportunities that I needed to grow, mature, and develop into a women that deeply desires to follow after the Lord and to use her gifts, experience, knowledge, and skills to spread His glory throughout the earth. It is my prayer that the next stage of my life would grow me into a mature women of God.
Thank you all for being such a vital part of my ability to grow and mature. I am truly blessed!
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