Love To Read asked Michelle Obama:

After being in the White House for 8 years, raising your beautiful daughters, writing a book. What is it that excites you now about the future? I’m 58 and getting closer to retirement and have been asking myself that question here lately. I’ve been working since I was 13 and work is all I know about myself. I’m trying to figure out my passion and what other women my age are feeling about life and what excites them.

Michelle Obama There’s nothing more intimidating than a blank slate. Of course, a fresh start can be incredibly liberating, but as you said, there’s something comforting in the consistency of a job or a career that we’ve had for years. Imagining ourselves outside of what we’ve known can be a little paralyzing.

But in my experience—and I’ve gone through two big shifts in the last decade—the best thing to do is to take your time. There’s no need to rush into anything. When our family first entered the White House, all sorts of people were wondering what I’d do as First Lady. But I wasn’t going to launch into anything before I was ready. I knew my number one priority was my girls andmaking sure that the rocketship our family had been on didn’t leave them in the dust. I was worried about how they’d transition in a new city, a new school, with new classmates. Thankfully, they made the transition smoothly. Kids are resilient that way. So, once they were settled, I began to more fully explore the issues I’d tackle as First Lady. I explored various strategies over those early months, but it took me over a year to launch my first major initiative. That, to me, was good. It meant I didn’t dive into waters I wasn’t quite certain of. Instead, I could be confident about the direction I was heading.

I’ve gone through a similar process over the last couple of years. In fact, I’ve probably felt a lot of the same things you’re feeling right now. But, having been through a big transition once before, I recognized that I didn’t need to rush myself and add any unnecessary pressure about setting my path after the White House. Along with working on my memoir, I knew had time to sit back, breathe, and enjoy the time—because soon enough, my next steps would reveal themselves. For me, I’ve continued to connect with young people and promote education for girls around the world. Those are things I love to do and I’ll always love to do. And I know that there will be new frontiers for me to discover—I just don’t know what they are yet, and that’s OK.

So no matter what path you settle on, I hope you’re patient with yourself. You don’t need the answer right now or a week from now or even a year from now. A lot of the joy comes from seeking an answer at all.

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