Last time I wrote here I was having an existential crisis of sorts. And now, just a few months later, I have my whole life figured out!
Kidding…
But I do have clarity on a few things that were fuzzier three months ago.
So here are my thoughts:
Bounce back culture
All the messaging shoved down a woman's throat is always about bouncing back, chasing a mirage of the you you were before.
Before the baby.
Before the stretch marks.
Before the hormonal rollercoaster.
Before breastfeeding took up 8+ hours of my day.
Before the financial demands that come with raising a kid.
Before sleep deprivation nearly convinced me I was becoming super stupid.
It's natural to be vulnerable to getting lost in the past when the marketing targeting women capitalizes on making us feel like we're almost but never truly enough.
I can see now I’m no longer there in "The Land of the Before".
I’m here.
“Our flow of life is abstract, like water in a river taking on different shapes and speeds as it flows from one place to another, with neither shape nor direction being better than the last because it’s all simply part of the flow of life.”
We’re conditioned to crave the easy-to-digest story arc—the before-and-after. When everything feels like it has been flipped upside down, pursuing a clear destination is enticing. But the truth is, it’s all fluid. Ever-changing. One version of yourself isn’t better than another. They’re all just part of the current of life. Each different version of you was exactly who you needed to be at that point in time.
While some chapters in life lack crystal-clear clarity, the fuzziness isn't something to run from or try and find a cure for as if it's an illness. Change can create a domino effect that alters pathways we assumed would always be there. Doors close yet others wait to be opened. The confusion is a call from within to reflect, explore, and learn what feels right for you.
As for career direction?
This one is still a bit blurry. What’s clear to me now is I don’t hate my profession. Thank goodness because those feelings terrified me!
I'm not actively looking for jobs, but I am open to taking on a new marketing role for the right opportunity. Every now and then I talk to a founder or head of marketing be it to discuss a role or just to talk shop.
Here's how I define the right opportunity:
- Interesting challenges for me to solve
- Good vibes from the founder and team
- PMF, healthy growth, and is able to pay me well
- I personally believe in the product (bonus points if I already use it or want to use it)
- Good benefits for families such as a generous paid parental leave, gradual return to work,
- A culture that rewards outcomes over the useless optics of working crazy hours when there is nothing actually urgent happening
Anyway, that's all for now. Sorry for the abrupt end but it's 6 AM and I hear my son crying.
