#182

The end of the school year is a natural time to reflect on the previous school year. This year’s reflection includes the reality that on top of the uncertainty as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic (as referenced in many of my blogposts over the last 18 months and most recently in last week’s blogpost, The 2020 - 2021 school year), there has been the uncertainty that is typical when one is job hunting.

Whilst it is easy to be discombobulated by the process, I have found it (aside from the long hours of completing job applications and forms) to be a liberating, challenging and humbling process.

Throughout the various stages of job hunting (inter alia resume writing, asking for references/open letters, applying for positions, preparing for interviews), I have been afforded the opportunity to reflect on that which I have achieved as well as areas for further growth both within and beyond my comfort zone. I have - and perhaps this is most important in the long term - appreciated having the chance to re-evaluate and reflect on my philosophy of learning, my values as well as my non-negotiables in terms of personal, professional and financial factors.

As someone who believes in the concept that “things happen for a reason”, I have - over the last few months -appreciated being grounded by these wise words:

"The challenge of the unknown future is so much more exciting than the stories of the accomplished past”

~ Simon Sinek

"Live life as if everything is rigged in your favour"

~ Rumi

"You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

~ Steve Jobs

“Be thankful for closed doors, detours and roadblocks. They protect you from paths and places not meant for you.”

~ Unknown

"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."

~ Rumi

With changes on the horizon and a new chapter unfolding, I continue to keep uppermost in mind the quotes listed above and also reflect generally and specifically with regard to the job hunting process.