Break for Bliss: A Career Transformation
From Corporate World to Blissful Adventure, this is how my Career Break is going on.
Hello, readers of Growth Garage!
Taking a career break is a decision that most people are afraid to make. It is a bold move that requires courage and determination. In this blog post, I will share my experience of taking a career break from the corporate world and how I discovered true happiness, satisfaction, and contentment.
How it All Began
Michelle Varghoos’s blog is an inspiring journey through her sabbatical. It is not all roses, as one might expect. Instead, a way paved with confusion, doubt, and healing. Her content helped me take this decision a bit more lightly than I was handling it.
When I was in the final stages of putting in my resignation, I came across Paul MIllerd’s work. His book “Pathless Paths” gave confidence that not everyone or not every stage of life is meant to be spent in corporates.
Nearer home in India, a couple of content creators on Linkedin shared their sabbatical stories. They had the same background as me, the same age group, same challenges. Things like having more time to spend with children and parents - are something I can do now, not 10 years from now. So why wait for retirement?
Gaining a lot of confidence from these inspiring folks, I decided to take the plunge. And so my career break started on 1 June 2023.
Content that Inspires Me
During my career break, I read a lot of books that helped me discover my true self. One of the authors that had a significant impact on me was Mitch Albom, famous for his book 'Tuesdays with Morrie.' I read four of his books, including 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven,' 'The Next Person You Meet in Heaven,' 'The Time Keeper,' and 'Have a Little Faith.' These books gave me a new perspective on life - what do we do when death is near? Death is a very sensitive subject that is usually not discussed among friends and family. But the author got to discuss this very topic in detail in these 4 books. What will happen when we are about to die? Would all of our possessions matter? Yes, but also the experiences. These books show that relationships with our friends and family matter much more than our egos and small skirmishes.
I am re-reading some classics like 'Atomic Habits’, ‘The Power of your subconscious mind,’, “The Richest Man in Babylon’, ‘Rumi’s poems’. These books are soothing, they give a strange sense of upliftment and confidence to carry on.
Consuming video content on mental health topics like “Cognitive behavioural therapy’, and ‘transactional’ analysis is helping me gain perspective about relationships and self-care in a way that is not draining to my introverted self.
I also followed content creators on social media who shared tips for living a better life beyond corporate jobs. Notably, Rajan Singh, Paul Millerd, Eugene Chang, and Pavan Sathiraju.
Exploring Nature and Personal Growth
During my career break, I took a 10-day trip to the Uttarakhand state in India, where I visited places like Dehradun, Nainital, Rishikesh, Auli, Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, and Gorsen Bughyal. With landslides every 1 km, the adventure was in the air of Kumaon mountain range. Only after experiencing the fear of getting smashed by a tumbling rock, do we realise how precarious life can be.
Apart from a few dangerous sites, the huge Himalayas were a sight to behold.
The natural beauty of this place is breathtaking, and it gave me time to rethink my approach to life and recalibrate my expectations.
It was a journey of acceptance, and I came back feeling more at peace with myself.
Pursuing Personal and Professional Development
To keep my brain cells working, I took up growth consulting to help small companies form marketing strategies. It has been an enriching experience, and it has given me a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Knowing different industries, understanding various customer types, and handling a vast variety of clients is sublime. From Food & beverage to Human-Resources to FinTech SaaS, I never had such intense and varied experience in corporate work. It’s exciting to learn and develop my own frameworks.
Final words
Taking a career break can be a scary decision, but it can also be a transformative experience. It allows us to step back, reflect, and recalibrate our life goals. Reading books, exploring nature, and pursuing personal and professional development can help us discover our true selves and live a more fulfilling life.
So, if you are considering taking a career break, I encourage you to take the leap of faith and embark on this transformative journey.
Awesome Charu !!!! All the best !!!