thebitterbabe

Last week marked the end of my time away from the workforce. Heading back to work a month shy of a year off. I believe I had a total of one afternoon of paid employment during all this time, but I worked my tail off on my own goals.

Needless to say, I’ve had to hustle pretty hard this past month to make arrangements for my condo, sign a lease here, arrange for transport for myself and my belongings, get my car and license switched over, change my address with all the various entities, set up the internet and WiFi and utilities, assemble and arrange furniture, and keep myself fed through all of it. Moving is hellish, but then one day, it’s done.

I did make a couple of car trips to see some old friends in the area, and I also took some time to study the various schedules and fees of dance and yoga studios and gyms in my new area. I even tried out and signed up for a few. I also found the farmer’s markets and a hairstylist and some Spanish and tennis groups.

Being unemployed this past year and thus left mostly to my own devices prepared me well for another period of solo transition. It’s a little weird, I guess, but I’m used to it.

I would like to cultivate a different attitude toward work this time around. I hope to set up some savings plans and then forget about strategizing for the future. I’d like to reconceptualize my time at work as part of my real life instead of something separate from it.

I was, overall, quite content this past year cooking, writing, volunteering, and studying instead of working. I don’t want to lose that sense of contentment and hope I can carry it with me through my reentry into the world of full-time employment.