Non-Negotiables

            According to Patty Stanger, the Millionaire Matchmaker for those of you who live under a rock, all women should have their five non-negotiables when it comes to men.  Those things that you just are not willing to compromise on and are the must-have characteristics in your man friend.  And though I have yet to nail down all five of my non-negotiables when it comes to a man, I think the concept is pretty genius and can really be applied to many aspects of life.  So I am going to use Patty's non-negotiables technique to narrow down what is most important to me as I head out on this next chapter of my life (aka when I am finished with grad school and forced to make real life decisions and join the ranks of the grown-up world...eek!).

            If I am putting the positive spin on this impending change in my life and all of the uncertainty that it brings with it, I really do have a world of possibility opening up in front of me.  I can go anywhere in the country, apply to whichever job I please, and choose to surround myself with people that make me happy.  In essence, the world is my oyster.  Yep, it's cheesy and cliche and I don't know if I totally believe it but I said it.  And even though it sounds pretty liberating, all of this opportunity and the chance for a new adventure kind of scares the crap out of this little creature of habit...which is where my girl Patty comes into play.  Maybe if I can spell out those non-negotiables, deciding where I want this new life of mine to go might be a little less overwhelming.  Worth a shot, right?

(kind of my mantra in these days of uncertainty)

So here goes.  These are my five non-negotiables for life after grad school.

1. A big city.  Don't get me wrong, I have loved the small town feel of my Southern city but I think two years has been the perfect amount of time for me to take advantage of all that Nashville has to offer.  
2. Good people.  You know, the kind that build you up and make you better and just generally love you for you.  The kind that look past your tendency to do the short-necked buzzard and maybe even find that little quirk endearing (for those of you who don't know what the short-necked buzzard is, request it the next time I've had a few glasses of wine and am feeling a little giggly).
3. Seasons.  If you are a regular reader you know that I get all kinds of giddy when the summer air turns cool and the leaves make the change from green to gold.  And though right now I am craving that summer heat like whoa, a city where I can get a taste of all four seasons is a must for me.
4. Close(r) proximity to family.  Enough said.
5. A job where I feel inspired and supported to grow and learn more.  Wherever I end up working next year, my greatest hope is that it is a job that I love to show up to every day.  One where I am surrounded by passionate people and patients who leave me feeling fulfilled and energized each day.  Unrealistic?  I hope not.

So there you have it.  My five non-negotiables.  Phew, that is a long blog post.  If you're still reading, thanks for sticking it out.  What are your non-negotiables?