Dear seauld:

You are welcome and congratulations for accepting your new job and new life!

You wrote:

“The long term planning I’ve been following thus far aligns with other people’s expectations… not…where I intended…I’ve been held here by the fear that others will judge..”- this means you have yourself as the center of your planning and not other people. There is this term my therapist taught me: Locus Of Control (LOC): if it is other people controlling your choices/ your life, it is External LOC, or ELOC. If it is you who is controlling your choices/ your life, it is Internal LOC, ILOC. ELOC leads to misery and ILOC, well, this is the path to a good life.

“My main goal is nontraditional and bridges two disciplines, and will hopefully be somewhat revolutionary, so there is no path to it but the one I make.”- this is a winning attitude and goal, brings about my Wow! Abandoning the ELOC, the people pleasing path and making your own. Indeed it is revolutionary, the … path less travelled, your own!

I hope you post again and again. I would love to read further from you!

anita