I have spent my whole life feeling this way about work! It’s a bummer. It’s possible you could get a job that suits you better and be happier, but still it’s definitely not what I want to do with my life either. My whole life people have told me to suck it up, no one wants to work. I’m not going to say that to you. I’m cheering you on to find a way out of the 9 to 5 drudgery. People do figure it out and I bet you will too... especially if you keep writing! ❤️
Thank you so much, your support means so much to me. I think so many people feel that way, and I am increasingly unable to force myself to spend tremendous amounts of time and energy doing something I don't care about. Our time is so precious and limited.
Imagine if collectively we just all walked out of our 9-5 (and beyonds) and told the Corp. we were going to make like Moomin, go in our caves for a nice long sleep and come out to sniff the air in Spring... Keep writing, everyone. Keep supporting smaller audience writers, everyone!
"I am not the modern career woman I trained to become for so many years." THIS! THIS!!!!!!! I also am not the modern career woman I trained to become for so many years! What an empowering statement.
This letter felt like such a comforting hug when I got it in my inbox. It's a really lovely feeling to read sentiments that are so relatable and heartfelt, even if they're difficult (sometimes especially if they're difficult?). I've also been in a hibernation state the last few months, really a year in some ways. After getting long covid for about 11 months in 2022, I lost all passion for my job which bites when it's your own company haha. You're supposed to be madly in love with the thing you loved enough to go independent on... forever? It's been a long process of unpacking that feeling of self worth based on productivity and my career and focus inward. And it's taken a while. In some ways I'm still struggling with it all. Being able to focus more on writing and nature has been a huge transformation in my life. I'm also not who I thought I was, and I think it's for the better. I am also just spending time 'just being' with my partner and I'm grateful he's been encouraging me to 'just be' and focus less on chasing my career and focusing more on the things that genuinely make me happy removed from the capitalism grind. I can't say I'm entirely "fixed" or "Cured" from these feelings but I also am encouraging you along this path! It's awful to define oneself based on your career and I think breaking free of that toxic mindset is so healthy :)
I really love that you are taking more time to focus on being rather than doing, especially after being sick for so long. That is fantastic and I totally agree. It is kind of twisted that we are encouraged to attach our identity to our professions. Human beings are so much more complex and dynamic than that, and our lives are so much deeper than just what we do for money. Furthermore, what we do for a living changes! We are supposed to change and grow and learn. And if we are confined to one path and our identity is tied to that path, it can be really difficult and heart-wrenching to step away from it, even if it's for the best. I think finding our meaning in other things and releasing our attachments to our identity overall is a really powerful and positive thing.
Oh wow I am so glad it made you feel that way! That is my ultimate goal with my writing. Helping us all feel a little less alone, and a little less guilty. There is no shame in rest!
Being outside has always made me feel better and take my mind off of stressful things. Because we started a business that I could work from home, and could also usually set my own schedule, was a definite improvement to me. Although it is not a very interesting job I could focus my "work" more on my family and myself. Life often changes. It certainly seems different now than when I was raising kids. But that could certainly be due to aging!
Absolutely, you definitely taught me to find my peace in nature as well. The business you built was very and smart and gave you a wonderful gift of flexibility! I hope to achieve something similar someday.
So poetic, as usual! Thank you for letting us enter your magical world of wintering and mountain hikes and now glittery dazzling air!
I've had a similarly rough time at work this month, and I think it's in part due to the fact that in January we need to take it much slower than the corporate world imposes. Let's just be for a minute... or a month.
It is on the way! I know I really can't complain about the lack of light. Living down south now is a lot easier than getting through winter in Alaska still.
I have spent my whole life feeling this way about work! It’s a bummer. It’s possible you could get a job that suits you better and be happier, but still it’s definitely not what I want to do with my life either. My whole life people have told me to suck it up, no one wants to work. I’m not going to say that to you. I’m cheering you on to find a way out of the 9 to 5 drudgery. People do figure it out and I bet you will too... especially if you keep writing! ❤️
Thank you so much, your support means so much to me. I think so many people feel that way, and I am increasingly unable to force myself to spend tremendous amounts of time and energy doing something I don't care about. Our time is so precious and limited.
Imagine if collectively we just all walked out of our 9-5 (and beyonds) and told the Corp. we were going to make like Moomin, go in our caves for a nice long sleep and come out to sniff the air in Spring... Keep writing, everyone. Keep supporting smaller audience writers, everyone!
What a dream that would be! Maybe someday we can flip this whole capitalist system over.
"I am not the modern career woman I trained to become for so many years." THIS! THIS!!!!!!! I also am not the modern career woman I trained to become for so many years! What an empowering statement.
This letter felt like such a comforting hug when I got it in my inbox. It's a really lovely feeling to read sentiments that are so relatable and heartfelt, even if they're difficult (sometimes especially if they're difficult?). I've also been in a hibernation state the last few months, really a year in some ways. After getting long covid for about 11 months in 2022, I lost all passion for my job which bites when it's your own company haha. You're supposed to be madly in love with the thing you loved enough to go independent on... forever? It's been a long process of unpacking that feeling of self worth based on productivity and my career and focus inward. And it's taken a while. In some ways I'm still struggling with it all. Being able to focus more on writing and nature has been a huge transformation in my life. I'm also not who I thought I was, and I think it's for the better. I am also just spending time 'just being' with my partner and I'm grateful he's been encouraging me to 'just be' and focus less on chasing my career and focusing more on the things that genuinely make me happy removed from the capitalism grind. I can't say I'm entirely "fixed" or "Cured" from these feelings but I also am encouraging you along this path! It's awful to define oneself based on your career and I think breaking free of that toxic mindset is so healthy :)
I really love that you are taking more time to focus on being rather than doing, especially after being sick for so long. That is fantastic and I totally agree. It is kind of twisted that we are encouraged to attach our identity to our professions. Human beings are so much more complex and dynamic than that, and our lives are so much deeper than just what we do for money. Furthermore, what we do for a living changes! We are supposed to change and grow and learn. And if we are confined to one path and our identity is tied to that path, it can be really difficult and heart-wrenching to step away from it, even if it's for the best. I think finding our meaning in other things and releasing our attachments to our identity overall is a really powerful and positive thing.
I am so glad to feel less alone. This is exactly how I’ve been feeling.
I’ve been trying not to shame myself for it, especially because I feel like I’m “wasting” winter, my favorite season.
Thank you for your beautiful words and your vulnerability.
Oh wow I am so glad it made you feel that way! That is my ultimate goal with my writing. Helping us all feel a little less alone, and a little less guilty. There is no shame in rest!
Being outside has always made me feel better and take my mind off of stressful things. Because we started a business that I could work from home, and could also usually set my own schedule, was a definite improvement to me. Although it is not a very interesting job I could focus my "work" more on my family and myself. Life often changes. It certainly seems different now than when I was raising kids. But that could certainly be due to aging!
Absolutely, you definitely taught me to find my peace in nature as well. The business you built was very and smart and gave you a wonderful gift of flexibility! I hope to achieve something similar someday.
❤️❤️❤️ perfectly said.
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it!
So poetic, as usual! Thank you for letting us enter your magical world of wintering and mountain hikes and now glittery dazzling air!
I've had a similarly rough time at work this month, and I think it's in part due to the fact that in January we need to take it much slower than the corporate world imposes. Let's just be for a minute... or a month.
It is on the way! I know I really can't complain about the lack of light. Living down south now is a lot easier than getting through winter in Alaska still.