There was a time when my workplace was in the basement of a hotel. With no windows and no access to the sky view, every morning I sneaked in through a backstreet staff entrance, walked down the humid corridor with fluorescent lights, breathed in and out the recycled conditioned air of an aged building, and started my day at a pizza-slice-shaped temporary desk.
Back then, the hotel was going through a re-organisation and downsizing during the last financial crisis. Tourism business dropped sharply, so cost-saving measures like sending managers to serve cocktails and set up event venues were the new norm.
Knew nothing about the nitty-gritty of the operation in the frontline, I was there as my last rotation towards finishing the management trainee programme. While witnessing the resistance and anxiety of the staff members due to the drastic change, I also sensed that my existence to the entire business operation was quite “non-essential”.
Despite my early feelings, it was the most down-to-earth role I took where I stayed present at work, focused on serving my team and customers, and got in touch with hundreds of people from different walks of lives who worked really hard towards sustaining their livelihood, served the community in their ways and felt PROUD in doing so.
The Only Person Who Can Decide If You Are Non-Essential or Not, Is You
Do you feel like you are on a mission when you work? It comes down to how much self-respect you have, and the professionalism you uphold regardless of what you do for a living.
We can be humble and proud in whichever ob roles we take.
Because, you are NOT what you do.
Your job doesn’t define who you are!
Needless to say a wrong job actually confines who you were born to be!
The most tragic way to destroy one’s ego, is when one links her identity with her job title for so long, and suddenly, that job title vanishes.
Trust me on this one as I’ve seen enough cases.
It is never an accident that we are experiencing this era of change together.
Your soul chose to come to Earth, at this transformative time, for some special reasons.
The Universe has a grand plan for us all, and our purpose here is to live out the best we can in the role(s) we play within this movie production called “Life on Earth”!
Are you the producer, director, screenwriter, costume and sound designer, cinematographer, actor/actress or the special-effect artist?
No matter which role you pick at any particular time in the past or future, believe in your agility!
Practicality Matters
While our visions, big dreams and ideals keep us going and hopeful for the long-term, when it comes to getting prepared for the months ahead, what keeps us grounded and flexible is pragmaticality.
May 2020 feels like a breath of fresh air after several heavy months. As some parts of the world are about to loosen up, people start to grow familiar with what is happening and hence have less panic after the initial shock, feeling ready to resume normal lives.
Many people start making PLANS. However, there is still more to the story – some pieces are still missing.
When we feel shaken, we tend to desire more control and try to force things to happen quickly. So I understand that the planning activity in itself helps us feel more in control even when the situation feels like you are navigating through the fog, pretending you know where you are now, and where you are heading.
However as we now realise how heavily dependent we are to the world economy and political situations, with our societal web as complicated as our brains’ neurological networks, we do need to expect more shocking changes to come that could throw our current plans out the window.
So instead of holding onto a false sense of control by planning meticulously, why not wrap up our lessons before we move on from this cocooning stage?
Takeaways From Lockdown – By Human Design Type
Reflection time: Before we get reconnected again, our biggest takeaway during the lockdown is:
- Generators & Manifesting Generators: Have you used this time to explore your passions and practise your mastery?
- Projectors: Have you doubled down your self-worth while napping, chilling and recharging your battery?
- Manifestors: Have you nurtured your independence and learnt how to bio-hack your energy?
- Reflectors: Have you learned to own your space and listen to your intuition?
See this period as if you are using a magnifying glass to see everything in front of you – small stuff will get amplified, and those minor stuff that you used to ignore are now showing up to help you understand how your life operates behind the scene.
Do you have the clarity of the future? Probably got some clues, but can’t see through it yet.
Do you have the clarity of your heart on what’s important? If you’ve taken the quarantine time to contemplate and be honest with yourself, it should be apparent!
Is this the right timing to follow your heart and make a drastic change? Would it be better to pivot first, get steady, and pivot again in small steps?
More importantly, are you shrinking to adapt, or are your growing stronger to become the version of you who doesn’t find your current difficulties as challenging?
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Books I’m Reading:
Recently felt like refreshing some economics, so I read/revisit:
- Freakonomics – Curious questions like “Does the name you gave your child affect his life?” or “Why experts of every kind are in the perfect position to exploit you?”
- Predictably Irrational – Behaviour Economics explains the hidden forces behind our decisions. If you’ve been procrastinating, spending emotionally, getting hooked on freebies, and wondering how different pricing of the same products influence your buying decision, this is a beautiful read to understand how your mind works!
Something New I’m Exploring:
- Desserts that don’t require an oven – Currently experimenting egg pudding, vegan cheesecake and Japanese green tea red bean desserts 🙂
- First-aid: Reading manuals and video tutorials only for now but hopefully I can attend real-life class soon!
Services I’m Offering:
- Job Hunt Strategy & Resume Makeover Sessions are back! If you need professional help on revising your resumes and self-introduction and have mock interviews to overcome your nerves during a real one, bookings are now open for reservation.
- If you are feeling lost and desire to reconnect with your soul purpose, LET’S CONNECT by booking my signature Human Design Career & Purpose Reading!
Make the best of every day. Stay active and hopeful!
