First Half of 2018; Check. What's Next?

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.”

And just like that, the week of July 4th is over.

Last week, I was in The Hamptons,  Since I do what I love, it may be considered inaccurate to say it was a combination of work and vacation.  That being said, even if you love what you do, it is hard work, so I did my best to balance beach, pool and play time with my clients.  It was also a week of milestone birthdays; I celebrated my freshman year roommates 40th birthday, a good friends “30+20” birthday as well as, of course, our countries 242nd.  

In the world of social media, on July 1st, I came across many references to the year being half over.  I had never noticed this in years prior; perhaps that was because, it wasn’t a year of milestones for me.  During the first half of 2018, I turned 40; my mother turned 70. In my post “On Turning 40: No Expectations?", I discuss the feeling of time.  At the risk of sounding dramatic, this was the first birthday where I thought this thing called life could be half over and it wouldn’t be crazy.  Am I doing everything I want? Am I living the life I want to? The sentiment “ain't no time like the present” truly took a different meaning.

In the same post, I also discuss expectations verses true desires.  When I turned 30, I was living my life based on expectations; what I always thought I would or should have.  Turning 40, while I have goals, I do not have the same expectations. I truly do not know where I will be ten years from now; five years from now; even 6 months from now.

Finding the balance between letting life happen verses setting goals for oneself is a lifelong challenge.  Without a plan, we wouldn’t get anywhere; we would never progress. And yet, just letting things happen is eerily calming and scary at the same time.  Having a six year old definitely helps me stay in the moment; I find some of my best parenting moments are when I just watch and observe Sophia. Just let her be.  This Saturday afternoon, we were at the beach together just for about 30 minutes because we were in “a rush” to get to the next activity. I was stressed to get her to transition, something she does not love.  I took five-ten minutes, though, and stood with her by the waves. I watched her expression and pure joy as she jumped in the waves. I tried to get into “her head”; what she must be feeling. Briefly, I was transformed to my six year old self.  

Given this new sentiment, I cannot say what is next for the last half of 2018.  Yes, there are things I could say with (almost) certainty. Sophia will enter first grade, my father will turn 71, I will be closer to 41 than 40, there will be the jewish holidays, Christmas, and New Years.  I will go to Charleston, South Carolina with a close group of college friends for our 40th birthdays. And I will continue “to do what I love and not work another day in my life”.

Other than that, I have my goals but no expectations.