A detour on the Timeout Wonder

I was speaking to an old time colleague (more a friend now) and shared how the MidlifeWonders journey had started in the first place. This prompted me to revisit some of the things, thoughts and plans I have captured back at the beginning.

This whole chapter started with the goal of "buying myself out from career for a year", so that I can do things I love and truly passionate about in life （before it is too late). I am now standing at 73 days 20 hours 47 minutes away from the Liberation Day, I am sure that this Liberation Day is now going to take a different form and shape.

Back then, it was about putting an end to the current chapter, as I thought that was the only way to get to work on Midlife Wonders. I thought wrong. This very step of pinning down the life goals, of building a tangible "tool" to keep myself anchor (this blog) had cultivated a new mindset, which lead to new behaviour to manage expectations, which lead to new possibilities. In #TheTurningPoint write up, I briefly mentioned how this new attitude has lead me to some pleasantly surprise open and heartfelt conversations with people. Since then, this has developed into something concrete, something tangible, a new role!

I have decided to take a detour, the Liberation Day will be postponed for at least two to three years. I am six weeks into a newly created position at work, in an area I am passionate about. I have always been seeking for a mission (使命感) that will allow me to channel my energies and passion towards the greater good. One of the reasons for being career focused is exactly that: getting to a position where you have the ability to influence and contribute to a greater outcome. I have been given an opportunity to do this. It is such a blessing and I will not take it lightly. To give it a proper go, investing a meaningful period of time is critical, hence a pause on Liberation Day is required.

Looking at this U-turn, was Midlife Wonders just a 三分鐘熱度 ? Absolutely not. Midlife Wonders has become the core, the anchor, the ways of being of my life in so many ways. The purpose is to find joy in what I do, to find purpose in how I live my life, and to bring no regrets in how I walk my journey. This detour is contributing to all that, and allowing me to make bigger progress to the other Wonders, so why should I not be flexible and reset the Midlife Wonders clock, when it is nothing is holding me back.

Do not let anything hold you back, especially your own plans, you can always craft a new one.