Five year plans keep you motivated to reaching for your goals, continuing to push yourself to be the person you want to be in the future. I have made countless Five year goals and have had to change and even completely redo them. The reality is that five year goals are great and amazing and make you feel more organized about your chaotic ever-changing life. But that’s what life is. Chaos, be it beautiful chaos, but sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in it.
We often forget about life and how things happen all the time. Really amazing things that change the course of your path. Some really not so amazing bumps in the road that make you stronger, but also reroute your path in some way. And then there are the things that make you sit and stare down the road and you don’t know how you can get over it with your end goal and ambitions still intact.
My “Perfect” Five Year Plan:
My life today is a mix of all these things in one. So my perfectly planned five-year plan is not going to happen. But I’m hoping the end goal will still be intact for me once I’m through.
Here’s my PERFECT five-year plan...
・Get married
・Work at the current amazing, medical changing institution I currently work at
・Get two years of nursing experience, preferably one year in the ER, before applying to grad school
・Get accepted into the Nurse Practitioner program of my choice (that’s a completely different topic we will explore later on)
・Get accepted into the Nurse Practitioner residency program at this beautiful institution I currently work at (remember, I keep it low-key because I do not represent them through my blog).
・Become a DNP of Emergency Medicine (at least that’s what I want to do so far)
・Buy a house
・Live happily ever after
Life Happens
So why can’t I accomplish this? Well this wonderful fiancé of mine is currently an Apprentice Lineman Electrician. What this means is that he has to be in an apprentice program for at least three more years until he can become a Journeyman Lineman (and make all the big bucks and buy me lots of stuff). And Apprentice Lineman positions do not come up very often - definitely not as often as nursing positions. We are hopeful that he can find a job closer to me, but we are being realistic and planning ahead. Meaning I may have to move to North Dakota.
The unfortunate thing, is that my current place of employment is about as good as it gets. There aren’t a lot of places that have as much experience, exposure, and ultimately, as many amazing things going for it. I just know that this long distance thing is much too hard on us, and it would be so silly to be married and live states away from each other. I’m hoping if I move I can take more time to look into and focus on school. There is also the possibility of traveling creeping up, but we can address that in a separate blog.
Learning to Adapt: The New Five Year Plan
You have to roll with the punches. Its how we survive. When things don’t happen our way, we adapt. We continue to push through and keep climbing and that’s all that matters. I could continue to whine about the cards I’ve been dealt, or be happy and thankful for all these amazing opportunities and continue to write my life one chapter at a time.
Tentative Five Year Plan...
・Get married August 25th, 2018
・Stay at my current institution for at least a year and a half (maybe less, depending on the jobs that open up around that time. And yes, we will still be doing distance for a short period of time once we get hitched)
・Work in an ER.
・Get accepted into the Nurse Practitioner program of my choice
・Work while in school (part-time)
・Become a DNP of Emergency Medicine
・Buy a house
・Live happily ever after
Stay Positive through Change.
The most valuable thing to take away from planning out your life is knowing nothing is set in stone. If you hold grudges and are inflexible, you’ll never make it. If you have a lot of stressors that have you stuck in a place you don’t want to be, look at things from a new perspective.
Find something that helps you relax, whether it is working out, writing, painting, listening to music, meditation, yoga. I do a little bit of everything and it helps me keep my head clear and up high. Be flexible, be strong, and be positive. It is all worth it.
I’m beginning to come to terms that no matter where I’m at in the next year. I will do my very best and I can do it. I am ready to settle down. I have to give a little more this time if things don’t work out in my favor, but that means the next adventure we do together, he is more than happy to bend a little more. It’s what you do in a marriage.
Well, that’s my little life update and my TENTATIVE five-year plan. I promise to keep you updated with any news or if plans change. As always, thanks for reading. Maria <3
