24/10/2020
✨WHY I LEFT MY CAREER IN CHEMISTRY AND BECAME A FULL-TIME FINANCIAL CONSULTANT✨
Reading time: 10 mins ⌚
I used to work in the region where Mt. Mayon sat. The first time I saw Mt. Mayon, I fell in love. But perhaps it will be a long time before I see this beauty again because I left my job.
I left my full-time Chemistry Career. 🤦♀️
Crazy, right? I mean, who would leave security and enter the unfamiliar?
Well, that would be me.
Few months ago, I was a Chemist working for a testing laboratory. I worked for 12 hours a day for 27 days (straight, no breaks in between) and had a break for about 8 days after. Until now, I could not believe I underwent that. Since college, I was always the first one to catch the flu and had to take more rest days than my batchmates just to get my body through the stress. And so, for a weakling like me, working for THAT long period WITHOUT a single day of rest was a feat. But beyond that feat, it became burdensome. Deep down, my body was complaining. I felt as if I was in an eternal physical fatigue. It also hit me hard emotionally. One, I was away from home. Second, I felt so undervalued as an employee. I would say, I was treated more like a worker and not as a human who also had her own aspirations in life. Third, I knew I was no longer happy. That I was not serving my purpose. Deep down, I knew the career I envisioned as a little girl was not where I am meant to be.
While working as a Chemist, I already started working part time for Pru Life UK (andaming time diba?). At that time, I was half hearted in pursuing the path of becoming a financial advisor. I had no sales experience; I did not know how to connect with people and I was not very empathetic as a person. How am I going to speak to different people? How am I going to say words that would bring comfort to others? I rarely spoke to people I didn’t know personally. Ang hirap mga besh! But slowly, with the guidance of my mentors, I learned how to relate to others and how to teach people important life concepts. I was slowly getting used to it and in fact, I was starting to like it. I felt that I was doing something close to my heart, it is as if I found my new purpose.
Fast forward to this month, I officially resigned from my lab job and became a fulltime Financial Consultant for Pru Life UK. I now call this my job! Is it easy? Nope. It is still hard. But it is happy-hard or what I call purposeful-hard. Now, I have enough time to take care of my clients and also take care of myself. Now, I have enough time to do the things I am truly passionate about and at the same time make memories with my family. I feel valued as a person, I feel important. I feel so blessed creating positive changes in the lives of my clients.
💥 Key lessons for your takeaway:
💥 HEALTH FIRST. If your job is ruining your health, quit. I don’t want to be insensitive to others who do not have a choice but to stick with their present jobs, but please if you find a job that allows you to take care of your body, then go for it. When we are young, we sacrifice our health for work but when we are old, we give anything just to be healthy for even a day. Your pay may be high, but your body deserves attention too.
💥 TO EMPLOYERS: OUTPUT IS NOT EVERYTHING. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR EMPLOYEES' MENTAL HEALTH. Your employees may be fine on the outside but are crushed on the inside. If you hold a position in your company or manage a team, please make sure to check the mental state of your employees once in a while. Treat them as humans with emotions and not robots who do work for you. Support them in their dreams outside of work, the world of your employees do not revolve around you.
💥 WHEN YOU ARE LOST, FIND YOUR PURPOSE. This is your “blue flame”. The part of you that burns every time you do something you are passionate about. Your purpose is your compass. When you are lost, think of that one thing that makes you feel truly alive when you do it. Huge chance, that is your purpose. And if you are currently not in the position to do the things you are passionate about, I pray one day you will. When you do something aligned to your purpose, your stars will align for you too.
Namimiss ko ba ang Mayon? Do I miss that clarity, that direction-pointing career I had? The so-called “perfect” career in the eyes of others?
Yes, I do. 🤷♀️
But I guess, I found a new Mayon here in Cebu. Something that takes my breath away. Something that I am not just happy staring at, but something that I am happy persevering for everyday.
Now my heart can settle. I feel anew. I am blessed. 🌹
