Looking back, so you can move forward...
The clock strikes nine on a chilly dark Friday night in the stunning city of Edinburgh. I slip on my onesie, sit on my couch, and sip slowly on my favourite cup of green tea. Just two years ago, I would’ve been pouring G 'n' T's and gearing-up to paint the town red. But now, I'm ready to jump into my giant pillow-infested cloud-like bed and count sheep.
While I still get the urge to throw shapes until the sun comes up now and again, I realise how much my life has changed since graduating Brookes. The last four months really have been one bumpy roller coaster ride.
I found this very fitting quote when desperately googling ´how to be happier´ a few weeks ago. Silly as it may sound, I think we’ll all do this at some point in life. While asking a search engine how to solve life problems probably won’t help, one thing I learned at Brookes might just.
Reflection.
Anyone that was on the International Hospitality and Tourism Management course will know this concept very well. This was drummed into us from day one right through to graduation. At the time yes - to be honest - it was annoying. Always looking back, reflecting on what we’d done, how we’d done it, who was involved, what we learned, blah blah blah. It seemed like a tedious activity with no real outcome.
But now, as I sit here feeling lost and turning to Google for answers, my instinct tells me it’s time to reflect. This is because I have every reason to be happy yet I still feel lost.
Have you ever felt this way?
However, I think leaving Oxford, Brookes and all of my friends after four years PLUS having to face find a new flat, job, friends in another city, has evidently played havoc with my emotions. As I reflect, I discover that I was so busy focussing on the positives, that I neglected how I’d feel about the negatives. And these hit me a lot harder than I ever imagined.
Leaving a life you’ve built is difficult, and building a new life takes time. Happiness can’t be rushed, therefore each factor in life will fall naturally into place when the time is right. I just realised that I'm still learning therefore I shouldn't be so hard on myself.
So, maybe the reflection lesson was one of the best I learned. I’m grateful to each and every one of our incredible lecturers for instilling this powerful tool into us.
The only way is up from here!
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