Hello from the Light Deck…
Mondays can be a recurring nightmare if you find yourself hopping back on the hamster wheel of work-life. It occurs to me that I used to be the slightly miserable hamster, come Sunday night, stressing about the start of the week and simultaneously lamenting the job I wish I could have been going to the next day. Admittedly at that time, I was completely unaware of what that job was.
Doesn’t this sound all too familiar?
Everywhere
I looked friends and colleagues seemed to be following their destinies. Heading to jobs they were born to do or had been fortunate enough to land out of nowhere. Everyone seemed to love what they did, or at the very least have a level of passion for the job that gave them opportunities to deep dive into their chosen field and thus experience a profound sense of satisfaction that I just couldn’t attain. What was wrong with me? Why was I constantly looking in the wrong place?
These thoughts and questions, of course, were not reality, created in my own head, as each person I considered to be experiencing career nirvana must have faced daily challenges, difficult decisions and moments of doubt about their chosen path.
Looking back
it took about thirty-three years to find myself in work-life love. And yes, I am counting my childhood – it feels as though I’ve been searching for that job all of my life. I worked in around eight different industries, in as many job roles (probably, more). Each one, at certain points, felt like a grind on my soul. Like I was wasting my potential and my days for somebody else. When would I find my damn calling!?
Now the real truth is that each of those jobs gifted me with opportunities, introduced me to inspiring people, taught me invaluable skills and helped me to see what I did and didn’t want out of life and a career. But of course, when you are up close to the elephant, you can’t appreciate its size and only with hindsight have I been able to consider the benefit of these experiences.
In reality
there were so many ‘love my job’ moments over these years and countless gains. A major one from almost every single job role was that each moved me organically towards digital marketing. From client services to website project management, presentation design to social media. Literally every one was training for this path I’m fortunate enough to find myself on today.
In the present day
digital marketing brings me opportunities to be creative, help others, be independent and co-creating at the same time. Working with clients, designers and developers who inspire. Being a part of a global community that is supportive and like-minded is ultimately the job I never knew I wished for, all those years ago.
All this pondering
has led me to the feeling that being in the present and appreciating where you are, is exactly where you’re meant to be. These words by Stephen Stills sum it all up;
“If you’re down and confused And you don’t remember who you’re talking to Concentration slip away Because your baby is so far away Well, there’s a rose in a fisted glove And the eagle flies with the dove And if you can’t be with the one you love, honey Love the one you’re with Love the one you’re with Love the one you’re with Love the one you’re with ….. Do-do, do do, do do, do-do Do-do, do do, do do, do-do Do-do, do do, do do, do-do Do-do-do, do-do-do”