This section shares stories and perspectives from people who call Seattle and the surrounding area home.
Since this is our first issue, I thought I’d start by sharing a little about myself.
My role at work recently changed, and I now support several sites. There’s a lot to learn, and while it’s rewarding to take on more, finding room to breathe has been a challenge.
Some days I think, “I love this job.” Other days, I feel the exact opposite. Even when it’s a change I wanted, I’m learning that settling in takes time.
The other day, as I looked out at the Seattle skyline and my former workplace, I felt a wave of emotion. I’ve long wanted to build a more secure life, and I found myself thinking back on all the days I spent working toward it, doing whatever I could at the time.
When things get busy, my mind stays full of everything I haven’t finished, even at the end of the day when I look back on it.
But every now and then, I realize that things I once struggled with have become a little easier to handle. When I don’t know something, I can ask and keep moving forward, one step at a time. Maybe the things we’ve learned to do are exactly the ones we start taking for granted.
Even if some things still feel unfamiliar, I don’t need to downplay everything I’ve learned along the way. That’s something I want to remind myself of, too.
At the end of each day, instead of thinking only about what’s left on my list, I want to remember at least one thing I accomplished: something I figured out by asking for help, or something I tried for the first time. And maybe most importantly, I want to give myself credit for trying to do what I could, even on days when I didn’t feel up to it. Not just for the results, but for the effort, too.
I want to keep working hard for the future. But I also want to make room to enjoy life in this city, instead of just getting swept up in how busy things get.
Seattle’s natural beauty reminds me to slow down, take a breath, and appreciate everything outside of work. I’m still figuring out what balance looks like for me, but I’m learning that making time to rest and enjoy the life I’m building matters just as much as moving forward.
