Dovetails

Is it easier to drift in the current of comfort, or to lean into the curves life throws our way?

The day I thought would never come finally arrived. As of Friday May 23, I can officially say I am a former high school music teacher; I officially transitioned from high school music teacher to a new, undefined adventure with this business, The Uninterrupted Life.

How do I feel?

If it tells you anything, the entire day I was singing Dolly Parton's classic "Light of a Clear Blue Morning."

When I first embarked on my teaching journey, I couldn't have imagined the road ahead. And I can tell you it has been one of the most beautiful drives of my life. This profession has gifted me an archive overflowing with the richest memories and some of the most profound experiences of my life so far. I've forged bonds that transcend generational gaps with the most remarkable individuals I've ever had the privilege to know. And, perhaps most importantly, I've learned more about myself, others, and the world around us. I owe an immeasurable debt to my time as an educator, especially the last four years at Dr. Kiran C. Patel High School. I'm who I am today because of the students, colleagues, families, and mentors I have met and will be eternally grateful for what this time brought me.

But, I am not sad to be leaving.

Okay, maybe a little pang (yes, I cried a lot…more than once), but I’ve come to learn that just because we feel sad doesn’t mean we are making the wrong choice. As the adage reminds us, “nothing lasts forever,” and embracing this truth allows us to navigate endings with greater ease and grace.

One of life's most subtly beautiful moments, in my humble opinion, is what I call "dovetail" moments (think of the hand drawn “birds” you drew in the sky of your pictures when you were in elementary school). We use this term in music to talk about the simultaneous conclusion of one musical phrase or idea and the inception of another— the period of transition where you are consciously aware of the divergence, the fork in the road, the surge of coming around the bend. Yes, a significant chapter in my life has drawn to a close, and I'm filled with excitement for the narrative to unfold.

For the first time in my life, my soul is awakening, and the thrill of freeing my spirit is simply exhilarating.

No, I wouldn't be who I am today without my time as a teacher. But I am also not the same person who walked into that classroom four years ago. We are all evolving, ever-changing iterations of ourselves; you're not the same person in this moment as you were in the last or will be in the next. Your entire world view could be altered in an instant - as a silly example, imagine a real life alien standing in front of you. That would completely shatter our understanding of reality and the universe! More literally, at the most granular scientific level, our bodies transform continuously: cells multiply, molecules are being used, converted, or expelled, even the hormones in your bloodstream can change instantaneously. We are, as they say, in constant flux. Today is both the oldest you've ever been and the youngest you'll ever be.

We are perpetually shaped by the people we encounter and the experiences that punctuate our lives, taking and leaving a part of ourselves with each. This collective of experiences, both the joyful and the painful, meld us into the person we are destined to become. We are all, at least partially, forged by our environments, and the vast majority of that is beyond our control.

So, I ask you again: is it easier to cling to the perceived safety of comfort and familiarity, or to embrace the constant of change?

How do you react when life throws a curveball? Do you slam on the breaks and jerk the wheel? Do you break down in tears?

How we navigate the unexpected, in my opinion, is a key indicator of our overall well-being and subsequent life satisfaction.

I'm sure you know someone who get's bothered by what seems like minutia. Maybe that's you. Maybe when your expectations do not align with reality or outcomes, you start to get flustered, get snippy, and have the tendency to come off a little sassier than you intended. No? Just me? Jokes aside, we can all benefit from cultivating a practice in non-resistance, releasing the emotions in the process - a skill that becomes acutely important when facing those inevitable bends in the road.

We can't always see what is on the other side of the turn, but we can decide whether we greet the unknown with trepidation or eager anticipation - the turn is coming anyways. The funny thing about life is that it always gets you where you need to be. My mother loves to remind me that "everything always happens as it should," and that nugget of maternal wisdom holds extraordinary and profound truth. Everything always happens as it should.

While we can't control the road, we do get the beautiful choice to decide how we take the journey. Will you get dragged behind, kicking and screaming? Will you sit in the back seat and hope someone else will drive? Will you at least sit in the passenger seat? Or, will you sit in the driver's seat and take the wheel?

You can choose to actively follow the road, to gracefully navigate every twist and curve, and to put your hands on the wheel. How? Through surrender. Surrender to the irrefutable truth that we are going down this road we call life with only the illusion of control over the destination. So we become grateful for the views, for the scenery, and greet the detours with wide-eyed wonder. The unknown is where discovery lies, where fears are conquered, and to where we should run. I am rounding a corner in my life, and I can't wait to see what is on the other side. I am leaning into the bend, eager to catch a glimpse of what lies on the other side.

And my mission is to help you discover the same for your life. That’s why I’m here: to discover and illuminate the path to a life that embraces the inherent uncertainties, a life consciously crafted, a life uninterrupted. I do not know where this journey will lead me, or us, but I am certain of this: I'm excited for what is ahead and I can't wait to help others along the way.

I just sat in the driver's seat, and I invite you to hop in yours and follow along. Thank you for joining me on this adventure, and thank you for trusting me as a guide to helping you discover your uninterrupted life.

Tomorrow begins a new 30-day challenge I am giving myself to jumpstart my personal and professional growth, to commit to establishing and affirming my role as a holistic health and mindset coach, and to fully implement a life by my design. I hope you will follow along the journey on Instagram or TikTok!

"I can see the light of a clear, blue morning. I can see the light of a brand new day."

Until next time, live uninterrupted.

~Coleman