Swimming against the tide

2015 turned out to be the year of soul searching. I was in my office 8 months ago, working the dreary job that never inspired me in the least, when one normal day like any other, I was walking in the corridor and SMACK! A realisation hit me with the force of a train whamming into you at full speed! It was like I was running towards a mirror at full tilt and instead of crashing into the mirror, the glass dissolved at the last moment and I crashed into my own reflection.

I realised how unhappy I was at my current job. Of course I was unhappy! But the thing that hit me the most was that I would NEVER be happy working in the IT industry. It was the absolute certainty of that fact that shook the ground from underneath me. I was changed at that moment and it was irrevocable. It was then that I decided that I needed to get away from my current surroundings to get some perspective.

So what did I do? I quit my project in my company, applied all my leaves, packed my bags and went on a trip with my cousin to Thailand. We did the unconventional there. We got away from the mainstream tourist places and went to places that weren't well-known but were real gems. When it was just us, traveling that amazing country, immersed in a different culture that I got the courage to decide to quit my job. I decided to save up and take a year off and focus on doing what I love.

When I got back, I had a few months to go till my contract with my company expired and I could finally quit. A lot of people in my life tried to get me to do other corporate stuff. Some ridiculed me for deciding to give up a steady source of income, some tried to persuade me to take up another job. Others still tried to scare me that after my year-long break, it would be hard to find another job. They all did that because perhaps they had my best interests at heart but I was caught in a whirlwind of confusion all the same and I was left dizzy.

That was when my soon-to-be mother-in-law called up and she gave me the courage to turn a deaf ear to pessimists and pushed me towards my passion. She said if it didn't work out, I could figure something else. But I had to give myself a chance. She really has been the most supportive of me in this life-changing, risky decision. That one phone call lifted me out of my confusion and depression. Honestly, it is the support of just one or two important people in your life that matters the most. Thankfully, I have more than just one or two. They are the ones who make the effort of going against the tide all worth it.

 

@Arunarc: Thank you so much for your unswerving support and so much more. I can't thank your son enough for bringing you in my life. Te amo! :thankyou2:

 

@daisy2015: Thank you so much for the warmth. I need it now more than anytime else. I wish you good luck and wellness too!

 

@Harini73: This courage didn't come easily. I do believe that when people were trying to advise me, they thought about my betterment. It was just that I needed a different kind of support. Thanks so much for your wishes.