20something profile: Tales From Two Cities

This post was written by Convie and E, two friends who became each other’s support system when they both lost their jobs:

Convie:

At 24, just as I thought everything was falling perfectly into place. I found my dream job working as a Journalist at one of the biggest media companies in Singapore. Sadly and unexpectedly, after only a short half year, I found myself unemployed. It felt like a nightmare, except that I couldn’t wake up relieved; I had to face the fact that it was reality.

I didn’t rush to get another job, however. Instead, I took the opportunity to really think about what I was pursuing in life. I spent a good amount of time talking to my friend, E, who had been looking for a job for almost a year at that point.

We became each other’s support system. Our conversations usually revolved around our life goals and how we could achieve them. After a few FaceTime sessions, we decided a blog would be a great way for us to tap into our creativity and keep ourselves on track.

Since the launch of the blog, E has found herself an advertising job in New York City. I, on the other hand, have decided to hold off job hunting for the time being. I have decided to focus on school applications, in hopes of getting a second degree in music — something I’ve always wanted to do.

Changes are unforeseeable; I learned this the hard way. I still set goals but only focus on doing the best I can at this very moment. Ultimately, all paths will lead to the same destination.

———————

E:

It has been a long journey since that day I lost my job. For days and months, I was in shock that something like that could happen to a smart, hard-working, and competitive person. Possessing such a Type-A personality makes “failure” a very hard thing to swallow.

Even when I considered all the facts — that the company had cheated me of nearly $10k in commissions or that many other strong colleagues were forced to resign or that some offices were shut down completely — I still felt horrible and pitied myself. “Why is it happening to me?” was the question that echoed through my whole being and was the cause of many restless days and nights.

Recovery had its ups and downs, but I forced myself to focus on making things better. Whenever life becomes too stifling and restricting, I travel to clear my head and rest my soul. It is an expensive but extremely effective form of self-therapy. During that time, I traveled and saw a lot, which helped me realize that the world is so big and that possibilities and opportunities are boundless.

I also credit a strong drive to succeed (or find success) and a strong support system from friends (like Convie) and my family for helping me see through the dark days. The people who stood by me reminded me that I was not a “failure,” since I had succeeded and still had a chance to continue on this path. A friend of mine reminded me that this was a roadblock and that I was taking a detour. She was right.

I finally found a job and moved to NYC to work in advertising (which was a dream job since university and was difficult to pin down because of my location) after a year of job hunting. I never would have thought that I would end up here. But after applying and interviewing fruitlessly day-in and day-out in my hometown of DC, I decided to expand that search up the east coast.

And one day it happened — a new opportunity, in a new city, was offered to me. How awesome, right?

Life truly does not run in a linear path with our age. You could aim to complete every goal you set in your life’s milestone, but do not be too disappointed if it does not all happen according to the plan.

Life is like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book starring you. I always try to choose the path that I felt most right about at the moment with all the (incomplete) information I have on hand. Sometimes the path does not end well, but the best part is that there are still so many more options available. As long as you stay true to yourself, you will always have the ability to reflect, recover and continue on the best adventure of your life.

Check out Convie and E’s blog Quarterlife Redefined

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