Getting back into shape! - Mental Edition

I am out of shape. Not in a physical sense (although I've definitely given up my usual running for the more convenient and easier elliptical machine). What I'm talking about is mentally. My brain is out of shape. While learning about entrepreneurship, I was always told that thinking like an entrepreneur is an exercise. You need to practice thinking creatively, problem solving, continuously expose yourself to new ideas. Innovation is rarely created while sitting in an office.

Well, my brain has been sitting in an office for the past two years and it's gotten lazy! Granted I have engaged in various entrepreneurial endeavors while working full time, but certainly not to the extent that I did at Duke. Now I'm at this exciting point where I can start training my brain again! It's incredibly liberating (adding an exclamation mark after that sentence doesn't even give justice to how liberating and exciting it feels to think creatively again). ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. It's almost as if I've forgotten that over the past two years. Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly grateful for the job I've had. But you can't help but think linearly with this type of gig. Back in the day, I had a huge to-do list of various accomplishments and then suddenly those dreams and ideas faded away and were replaced with direct deposit checks and office decor.

But not to fret! It's coming back to me. Slowly but surely (pole pole) I find myself day dreaming again. Thinking of all the amazing things that could potentially happen with my new life in Guatemala. Yes, I know, implementation is incredibly slow, it's about sustainability and capacity building not necessarily starting this big huge new project, but a girl can dream right :) Oh opportunities! I feel like I was suffocating for so long and now I can BREATHE! My mind is like Rocky on those stairs with Eye of the Tiger playing in the background! I hope to keep this type of vigor alive and to exercise this type of thinking while in Guatemala. Even if I personally don't implement something, just the freedom to be able to and the encouragement to creatively tackle obstacles is amazing.

Oh oxygen. Oh creativity. Oh challenges. I feel like I'm regaining myself again...and I love it!