J for Junction

July.  The first month of the second half of the year, the last month of summer for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere before school starts back in August, the heart of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.  July brings us to our J word – junction.

A junction is a place where two things come together, like the first and second half of a year. It’s the end of one thing and the beginning of another, a transition region. It might be external – a physical move from one city or country to another, a job change, marriage, divorce, graduation, parenthood to name a few of the biggies. 

But a junction can also be internal.  You know something is changing, you feel it inside, you have to let go to move forward, but the letting go is difficult and the way forward uncertain. 

Junctions are good – they force us to slow down and take notice of where we’re going. We have to be deliberate, exiting the A train, buying a ticket for the B train, moving into action.  Junctions can also be daunting.  Here are a few ideas for making the most of your next junction.

Prepare as much as possible. With big changes, you know the tracks are ending, get ready.

Look around.  Enjoy the scenery at the junction.  Check out how things work.  Talk to other travelers who’ve been down the track you’re thinking about taking.

Give yourself a break.  Take time to rest and relax. 

Pack wisely.  Once you’ve decided what is next, get what you need to make the adventure a success.

Don’t panic. There’s another junction down the line. You get to choose the route again to get to where it is you want to be.  It’s your journey.