Has your perspective of your career changed as you've aged? I know mine sure has. I'm rambling a bit in this post about how I ended up where I am and the steps it took to get there.
For some reason when I was working in Austin, IBM stuck out to me specifically as the tech company I wanted to work for. I'm sure I met someone who had worked there and sang their praises. So after a year or so of occasionally applying for various roles I got serious. It usually takes a toxic work environment to push me to look elsewhere and give me the motivation I need.
After working at IBM for a few years I was recruited to Dell. During my time at both companies I learned a lot about larger corporations. Obviously it was vastly different from my experience working in companies that had 20-50 employees like in the past. The internal politics, the tech jargon, the meetings, the layoffs, etc. But I enjoyed it, and I was blessed with wonderful bosses who made my experience great. I truly think your boss can make or break your mental health at a job, and the fulfillment you find in your role.
Before Covid working from home NEVER crossed my mind. I never imagined having the flexibility I have today, and that might change one day but for now I'm soaking it up. My priorities have definitely shifted to prioritizing work/life balance over everything else. Part of me wonders if I've lost my ambition by not vying for manager type roles, but I think I've finally found my sweet spot. I love the niche marketing role I'm in, and I love the balance I have.
Kids really changed my perspective on what a successful career looks like, and I do feel like I'm in the thick or raising children. I wonder if my mindset will change when my kids leave for college, but for many years I was in survival mode at work. Some years I leaned into my career, and some years I simply clocked in and clocked out. If you're reading this and you're a young new mom, just know that it's OK to do that and take breaks along your career journey. I didn't feel like I could step away from work to stay home with kids due to the field I was in, plus I didn't think I would really enjoy it selfishly. I payed a crap ton in daycare tuition for many years, and would be a millionaire by now had I not had kids..bahaha!
I am rambling at this point, but I do think it's wild where life has taken me. I am thankful for the interactions, networking events, job changes and experiences I've had to date. I never imagined being laid off and that really sucked, but there's always light at the end of a tunnel. I experience an intense wave of worry when my boss puts an unexpected invite on my calendar or asks if we can chat real quick. I have friends being laid off, and I empathize with them on their upcoming journey. Life is so expensive, and the pressure to provide for a family is intense. I would love to be independently wealthy and not have to worry about a boss, but that's not my situation so I'll thank God for what I do have....which is a lot of wonderful things!
I wrote a blog post about fear based vs. love based thinking and it's something I try to practice daily. A bit about both...fear is a negative emotion that can include worry, hate anxiety, blame, panic, disconnect, etc. It's when you're in a constant state of lack. Love is a positive emotion that can include joy, peace, faith, compassion, tolerance, happiness, etc. It's a feeling like you're constantly being supported no matter what the situation. You see the good in all occasions.
It's said that love and fear are opposite emotions and we cannot feel one while feeling the other. Therefore if you're note choosing to come from a place of love then you're choosing to come from a place of fear or any of the emotions within each of those categories.
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