It’s back to school and back to work time. Which made me think of 3 journal prompts for your career, because it’s important to make sure your work supports your True Life. Especially when you realize that the average person who works full-time, spends about 8 hours per day at work. Yep, that’s the majority of daytime. So let’s make sure that your (future) career will help you forwards and not backwards.
I’m saying this because I used to work in retail. As a store manager I was expected to work from Monday to Sunday and always be on call. It never mattered how hard my team and I worked. It was never enough. After work I’d be so tired, I’d order take out and fall asleep on the couch. The next day I’d have to force myself to get up and do it all over again for a very low salary and a very mean employer.
One time, I was so tired I couldn’t keep it together anymore. I started crying and decided to change careers, because keeping myself alive just to work was killing me. Back then I didn’t have my idea for My True Life yet. I did know I wanted my own company, so I could have the freedom to live my life as I please. I know it isn’t possible to change careers immediately for everyone. But there are ways to get there, if you really want it.
Let’s chat about your True Life first
When I talk about My True Life, I mean living your life exactly the way you like it. For some people this means stepping away from a conventional life, which is a brave thing to do. It’s accepting that you might have to take on a unique set of risks and challenges. It means letting go of what you were told to do. It’s learning how to think, feel and make decisions for yourself. It’s learning to feel secure in the unsure.
It’s fully embracing what makes you feel good, even if no one understands. It’s a lifestyle choice that some may consider unconventional or free-spirited. For some people, having a ‘normal’ life is already such a challenge and a big win! Not everyone has the same start in life. Some of us have to survive (for a long time), in order to thrive. So you do whatever it is you need to do to design your True Life, with the tools you have.
The main goal of the ‘My True Life’ lifestyle is to encourage you to:
- Design your True Life
- Plan new adventures
- Build an unique aesthetic
To be clear: in no way, shape or form am I telling you what or how to do it. I just want to help you figure it out what works for you with the right set of tools. I want to encourage you to think and move like an Intentional Bohemian. Which is what you are (in my mind), when you start living a your True Life. Being an Intentional Bohemian simply means tapping into who you really are, and pursuing what makes you happy.
I think you already know what that is, or maybe you have a vague idea. Now it’s time to make an intentional decision and actually get shit done. Because, dreaming about the things or type of life you want only takes you so far. And sure, you can wait till the motivation hits. Or till something magically changes, but that probably won’t happen. Thankfully you’re allowed to take action and change your future yourself, yay!
For example: I’ve always known exactly who I am and where I want to go. It just took me some time, courage and determination to finally give myself the change to actually be myself. Which meant I needed to make some small and some drastic changes. But now I can fully say I am living My True Life. Doing exactly what I want, whenever I want. Like running this stationery brand and writing this article for you, haha! So let’s get you started too.
Journal prompt 1: What do I love doing in my free time?
If you want to get a job or start a business to support your True Life, you need to know what you’re doing it for. Because, let’s be honest: most of us will always have to work, whether full-time or part-time, until we get wealthy enough not to work. But until we get there, our careers can support what we love doing in our free time. So, write that down. What do you love doing when you’re not at work or school?
Journal prompt 2: How can your career support what you love?
Yep, this is where you get practical. Because musing about living your True Life is fun, but you have to actually make it happen to truly enjoy it. That means making career choices that benefit you, even if that takes you in another direction. I always thought I was going to work in retail forever, or I was going to be a social worker. Which is what I studied until I realized I wanted to run my own business, and I quit studying social work.
I’m not saying you should stop going to school or drastically quit your job. You always make your own decisions. I am simply advising you to look at your chosen study or job, and check if it’s still supporting what you love to do in your free time. My career in retail left me with no free time at all! That’s why I started studying social work. Because that meant doing something useful, making money and having free time for the things I love.
I eventually ended up leaving both careers. I started my own marketing and PR agency, because that was a job I actually loved doing. And as a business owner I only work the hours I want to work. Leaving me plenty of time for building up my other projects, like my stationery brand My True Life. So really think about how your career can support your True Life. And yes, your job is also allowed to be fun. It’s not just about money, if you don’t want it to be.
Journal prompt 3: Name 3 things that will upgrade your career and therefore your True Life.
You now know what you love doing in your free time. You’ve figured out how your (future) career can support you doing that. But what if your current study or career choice is taking you away from all of that? Name 3 things you can do, change or set in motion to upgrade your career. Which things, situations, actions or behaviors can you optimize to make sure your chosen study or current career can support your True Life?
Found 3 things? Awesome! Write them down, plan the actions, take the actions and enjoy your True Life!
Want more journal prompts?
Sign up for ‘My Not So Secret Journal Club’: the snail mail club for journalers (to be). Each month I'll send you a journal prompt card, a gift and an inspiring letter.
It’s more than just snail mail, it’s a growing collection. Over time, you’ll create your own deck of journal prompts to pull from whenever you need them: for designing your true life, planning new adventures or creating an aesthetic that matches your personality. Each letter envelope is a small gift with a big positive effect on your True Life.
We also have an online clubhouse where you can hang with others members, find more exclusive journal prompts and more!
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