FunEmployment

In May I left a really toxic environment (at a wonderful company, wrong team). Instead of immediately focusing on my job search, I took a break. Now 6 months in I’ve learned a whole lot.

I can finally say that work doesn’t define me. It’s a great thing that can certainly fullfill me, but the real purpose of it is to pay bills and book flights.

I will always work hard, be type A and value having a reputation as someone who is one of tne best at what they do, but my work will no longer be my primary focus. It does not define me. In fact, it’s the least interesting thing about me.

That’s a HUGE shift for me. While I’ve worked to find balance, I’ve still very much allowed work to be 80% of who I am and where I spend my energy. It’s controlled my moods, controlled what I think about myself and truly been what I’m self concious about.

No more.

6 months of travel, therapy, not working — I’m a new sequin, and I love it.

It’s completely foreign to me to be at a “career low” and yet be the most confident, fullfilled and happy version of myself I’ve ever been. I am setting boundaries, living for the moment, speaking about my feelings, doing the work assigned at therapy and investing in people who make me feel wonderful while stepping away from those who don’t. I am genuinely so proud and happy of the woman that I am.

I know at the end of the day, I’ll find the next thing. I will bet on me every single time. And I won’t lie, it’s stressful looking for a job in a market full of layoffs and a looming recession. I am not an heiress (RUDE) so I’ll need a job soon. I have my breakdowns and stress about that. I’m human. But I will be ok. I will come out of this thriving.

In the meantime, I’m working really hard to keep the old me back and the new me forward. I’m focused on putting in the work on my growth and maturity and investing in experiences.

Funemployment for me has been an incredible time of work & play. I’ve left the country twice, traveled in our own country countless times and I’m taking time to build on who I am without work. It’s been a gift to truly force myself to be whole without a job - because I don’t have one!

I hope that when I do start work again, I remember this time and stay focused on the growth. I hope I keep this same main character energy and ensure work stays secondary.

Whatever comes next, this time has been a gift and an incredible opportunity to become a better me. And at the end of the day, that’s the goal. Be the best version of myself possible.

Change Up

The generation of working somewhere for 30 years and retire is gone. Millenials and the tech industry changed the game for how we work. There’s no longer this expectation of committing your life to a company that isn’t committed to you.

Because of that, I’m here to tell you — have the courage to start over.

If you’re unhappy where you are, leave. If you have been in one industry your entire life and it’s not making you happy, switch industries. Are you 40 and just figured out you’re super passionate about writing but you work in sales? Start writing.

I used to question the way in which I’ve left companies for the next opportunity. I’ve been accused of chasing something that doesn’t exist. The thing is, I seem to be doing quite well. I’m also good at what I do and bring a lot to the table. Sure, everyone is replaceable at some point, but I’m hard to replace.

And I’ve had some incredible jobs working for dream companies. I’ve had once in a life time experiences all because I ignored what people told me and did what was best for me — what made me happy.

That is finally what I listen to. And that is the only voice I listen to.

Believe me, I’ve had the other voices. I’ve been told I’m ruining my career. I’ve been told I’ll never get hired with how often I’ve changed jobs. I’ve heard it all. And you know what? None of it came true. Because I know who I am and what I bring to the table. I know that I can do anything and I’ve got the work ethic to back it up.

Life is short. We spend a lot of time at work. If you are unhappy, move on. Make a change. Be strategic, but make moves. If you are unhappy, it’s of your own doing. Bet on yourself. Put the work in for yourself. Invest in yourself.

SURE - there are circumstances. Often times you have to take a shitty job to get to the better job. I get it, it’s easier said than done. But doing nothing, that leads to nothing. Take steps, even small steps. Make a plan and go do it. If you fall, dust yourself off and pivot again.

Most of all, have the courage to hit them with a change up. It’s your life and you have to live those 24 hours each day. What life are you going to lead? Where are you going to go?

Mental Health May

May is mental health awareness month and while in general I don’t subscribe to this whole one month out of the year awareness situation, I do want to highlight the discussion around mental health.

It seems everywhere we turn in the media, celebrities, athletes, and authority figures are talking about their own experiences with mental health. And it’s about time. But I want to make sure that we are mindful not to sensationalize mental illness.

There’s sort of been this way the media talks about mental health in a way that showcases the struggles as a true Hollywood story, a tale of sadness and drugs and broken relationships that takes away from the ‘normalness’ that is mental health. Certainly there are some very real and very dramatic end of the spectrum mental health stories but being that 1 in 5 Americans suffers from some sort of mental health disorder, it’s more common to have middle of the road experiences.

I’m talking high functioning anxiety, depression, bipolar - the people around you who suffer everyday and work hard to just exist and get through the day. That’s what I want to see highlighted and talked about in the media.

I do not want to belittle the very real addiction struggles as well as the suicide we see in the world. Those stories are real and important too. But until we are able to openly talk about the in between before those things occur, we are not going to be able to openly combat these issues.

I want to see companies, doctors, friends and family talking about anxiety, fear, depression, pain everyday so that we are able to treat mental health like we would physical health. Where there’s a constant check in, check up, and monitoring of your mind every single day.

I want mental health to be considered health. There shouldn’t be a separation, loop it into overall health and well being. Insurance should offer coverage like they do for your physical health.

For mental health May I challenge you to talk to the people around you about their mental health in a really open positive way. Ask questions, be supportive, normalize the conversation. Stop the stigma, the fear, the judgment around what being mentally ill means. Most of all, I challenge you to dig into your own mental health journey and figure out what it looks like and where you’d like it to go. You can’t help others until you figure out how to help yourself.