When we moved to Australia, I was privileged to take a break from work and help my husband and young daughter settle in this lovely country. Being a full-time wife and mom has been a very rewarding experience. I’ve never been this close to my family. I learned how to really take care of them and not rely on others to do the tasks. I enjoyed every single moment of motherhood and being a partner to my husband. For months, I thought this is where I’m headed in life.
Then one day it hit me. I missed the “high” of being busy, of doing something more and being around people. I missed having a career.
And so, I decided to rejoin the workforce. I thought I could easily land a job because of my work experience. I used to work for one of the big fours of Wall Street. I had a good working experience and I thought that’s all I needed to be easily accepted. However, that was not the case. For 4 months, my job interviews were back to back with no progress. I lost courage and admittedly, felt humiliated.
While waiting for our kids on one fine day, Patricia and I along with one mom were having a casual chat. One mom was sharing her career frustrations. Patricia is a genuine listener and generously gave advice to our friend. Her phrase “What is your purpose?” struck me the most. She said, dreams in life are within arm’s reach if you know your purpose.
I went home contemplating on her words. I asked myself why I wanted so bad to go back to work? And then I realised, I was desperately looking for a job because of pride. I wanted to have that status which I used to have when I was working. I wanted to feel that power again and regain that confidence which I think I lost when I put my career on the back burner. But then, if I wanted a job so hard, why wasn’t I getting it?
“If you can tune into your purpose and really align with it, then life flows much more easily.” – Finally, I realised that my purpose is my family. I remember back in Singapore, that my passion around work was because of my family. I wanted to provide a good, comfortable life for them. My questions were answered and figured out, my goals were nowhere to be seen because I was thinking of a wrong purpose.
I ran into Patty and told her how her words made an impact to me. She listened and helped me understand that what I felt was normal because I lost my identity. She helped me fine-tune my thoughts and go back to the person I used to be. I’m truly grateful for her genuine kindness to share her knowledge with me.
After tweaking my thoughts and being more thankful to my blessings, looking for a job seemed lighter. I was able to give my best in my interviews. I was able to meet an amazing manager who believed in my skills and capabilities. In short, I got what I wanted.
People who may not deeply know us come into our lives and will earnestly provide guidance that you need. They are the ones who truly know how to listen and understand. And so my thanks go to wonderful Patty!