The stress of waiting.
The list is long when it comes to student stress. But by far, one of the greatest sources of stress is waiting!
Students are always forecasting into the future. Every single moment of student life is about waiting. Waiting for grades. Waiting for summer. Waiting for graduation.
Forever in a day.
Students become frustrated waiting for what feels like a lifetime to practice the profession they’re in school for.
Textbook readings, class lectures, and endless exams seem miles away from actually doing their dream job.
Days become weeks, weeks become months, months become years. Time moves at a snail’s pace.
Infinity in their minds.
For students, there are too many years before they can finally live their lifelong dream of becoming a nurse, a lawyer, a carpenter, a designer, a psychologist.
“Don’t worry, it will all be worth it in the end”. Easy for a professor to say. Challenging for a student to live. A day is infinity in a student’s mind.
(Little do they know that one day they will look back and fondly recall their college years as the best years of their lives.)
Bridging the (time) gap.
Listening to students lament year after year about the waiting game got me thinking (and dreaming) of a better way! Asking myself how I could bridge the (time) gap between education and profession.
My goal is to help students claim ownership of their present time. To help them live their dream job every single day. To remind them that life purpose does not require a job to be realized.
No more waiting.
Students do not have to wait a lifetime to experience their dream job. Instead, they could live the core elements of their chosen profession every single day – in so many wonderful ways. Simply by living on purpose, in present time.
- Accounting students could help their friends get a better understanding of their finances. Show their neighbours how to do their taxes.
- Carpentry students could assist their family in the renovation of a kitchen.
- Child and Youth care workers could volunteer at an after school program.
- Nursing students could help out an elderly couple at the grocery store.
- Social work students could give a seminar at a college residence about mental health.
- Senior students could show freshman the best spots to study on campus.
Living your dreams. Every single day.
Using “bite size” mission statements, I help students identify the key attributes of their dream profession.
During this exercise, students realize that “Life Purpose” is 99% about LIFE. Something they live every single day.
And that no one needs to wait one more year, one more day, or even one more moment to live life to the fullest.
Ultimately, students (and their professor) discover that Life Purpose is about following their heart, sharing their gifts, and shining their light.
One bite size dream at a time.
Related Post: Shine Your Light
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