I worked in retail management for over 15 years and it was fun but I never felt like I “loved” working in that field, I always felt indifferent and hoped I wouldn’t be in my 30’s working in retail. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just always dreamed of having my own business, and being self-employed was important to me as a South Asian woman. None of the women in my family have their own business and I am proud that I am the first to embark on that journey.
For a long time I believed I could enjoy working a traditional job from 9 am-5 pm and I was afraid to challenge myself to branch out on my own.
I had to learn that I don’t enjoy not having control over my schedule, being managed by inexperienced people doesn’t nurture my growth and I don’t want to prove my worth to any company. I had to learn my value and understand my capabilities.
As a coach, I feel sad when people tell me they are working in a field that doesn’t feel it aligns with their heart. Because I know first hand how good it feels to work for yourself, granted there are moments you want to pull your hair out but it’s a rewarding feeling when you see your achievements.
There are so many ways to make a sustainable income! We do not need to have “traditional” jobs. Most of us have been conditioned to believe that we need to have careers that we don’t enjoy and have these grand “titles” all to feel validated by society, family, friends. That’s all ego, you can pursue your passion if you believe in yourself. Once you change your set of beliefs about life you can shift your mindset about everything including what you do for a living.
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a job that you love, I had to learn to shift my mindset multiple times until I made it a priority to do what I love to be happy.