It is no secret that I have not loved being funemployed (hello, read this blog). How is it possible that I am not enjoying it? Was travelling to CA to spend precious, uninterrupted time with my parents TWICE not a blessing? Was having the chance to spend the most splendid, indulgent ten days in India not enough to bring me joy? And what about the flexibility in my schedule to write down all my thoughts in this blog, to have time to reconnect with friends and colleagues, to go to the gym every day, to visit the latest new restaurant because I could make it right when it opened at 5pm which could never happen when I was tied to my desk? If I was hearing someone describe their funemployment like this, I would think they were the luckiest, happiest, most fulfilled person in the world.

When I read this quote, it clicked for me. I have set strict timelines for myself in my professional journey, and especially so during funemployment. So when I have not been able to achieve what I wanted to on those timelines, it has felt like a gut punch.

I said that I will be so happy if I can just close the deal on a seemingly perfect opportunity at LVMH before Christmas. Nearly 3 months of funemployment, 8 interviews, and 1 case study later – of course, I nailed the perfect opportunity! After all, 3-6 months is how long it takes on average, they said, and I was obviously going to overachieve on that timeline by doing it in just under 3 months. But it didn’t come to fruition (I’ll save my quotes about ‘rejection is redirection’ for another time). Fast forward 2 months, and if I could just have this other offer in my hand before I leave for India, I would be happy. Signing on the dotted line and then getting on that plane was the only way to enjoy my trip and not be bogged down by the list of follow ups I would need to address as soon as I landed. But that also didn’t happen on my timeline.

So this quote said it best for me “Don’t let your whole life be ‘Ill be happy when’”. Because then you’ll miss everything amazing that is happening for you right now. Like the amazing trip to India that I have sufficiently spammed you all with over the last few weeks. And before I know it funemployment will be over, and I sure as hell don’t want to find myself thinking ‘I’ll be happy when…I have some free time again’.