Reroute, Reroute, Reroute
Take Pen to Paper: Edition 187
Hi Readers,
My husband and I just returned from a trip to visit family. We rented a car to get around while we were in town. We know our way around, so navigating wasn’t a problem until we went to visit my stepmother, who was staying at my stepsister’s.
The car we rented had a GPS, so we put in the address. To our surprise, it directed us to take the back roads and stay off the interstate. Since we only needed to know how to get to her neighborhood and house, we ignored the GPS, knowing it would reroute to the route we were taking.
Many times in life we know when rerouting would be best. Rerouting, pivoting, or whatever you call it, becomes necessary when the path you are on isn’t working. That knowledge may come after one incident.
Every time we have moved, I’m faced with the dreaded task of finding a new doctor. Eight years ago, when we moved to where we are now, I started with a doctor I liked. Then she retired, and the search began. The next doctor was OK until she prescribed a medication that she had previously taken me off of a year earlier due to an allergic reaction. I can only assume she did not read her notes from previous appointments. I have little patience for errors like that. That was my sign to reroute and find a new doctor.
Rerouting often means extra work, like research or trying on the new until you find what fits. I quickly learned it can mean some trial and error. I’m still looking for a doctor.
At times, we may know we need to reroute, but we are afraid to move into unknown territory. Rerouting doesn’t always come after the first time you find yourself on the wrong path. Sometimes, we suffer in our situation far longer than we should.
In one of my teaching positions, I was two years in when I came to the understanding that I didn’t have the support of the administration. Three years and many tears later, I knew I needed to reroute. What should I do? I knew that the difficulties I was having weren’t just due to the school’s administration; they extended to the district level. Changing schools could be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. After I knew I needed to reroute. I began applying to jobs that were related to my experience. Anything different would be worth trying.
Happily, my husband’s job gave me a partial answer. We moved to another state. My job hunt there ended with a choice between teaching, as I had for 37 years, or a supervisory role. I decided on the unknown of the supervisory role and stayed with it until I retired.
If we only had a GPS for life to help us navigate and reroute when necessary. Except, maybe it’s best if we do the hard work of finding our alternative path.
Do you know how a GPS will start off telling you to turn around when you aren’t following its directions? I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “make a U-turn when possible.” Then the system will finally realize the route you are on and adjust. The GPS in our rental car never adjusted to the route we were on. It continued directing us to turn around and take the route it suggested. Ultimately, it wanted us to circle back almost two hours to our original starting point to get to my stepsister’s when we were blocks away from her house.
Between my gut feelings and a little hard work, I can reroute and find my way.
7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:
It’s a good thing to pay attention to the signs on the path you're on. You may need to reroute. 🗺️
I am grateful for GPS. It guides me to where I want to be. 🛰️
Honda was the first car manufacturer to offer commercially available GPS with a map display to customers. 🚗
Here are some suggestions for finding a new doctor. 🩺
This article explains six steps for pivoting in your career.
Your gut feelings may help you know when to reroute in life. We should trust our gut in addition to our analytical thinking. This article explains. 🤔
I’m grateful for listening to my gut. It has guided me successfully in some of my most difficult decisions.
Thank you for reading. How often do you use your GPS?
Until next time,
💙
Susan
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