Preparing for career transition

I am currently into the third week of a course on adult learning. The certificate I will obtain upon graduation will contribute to my journey as a trainer in the Singapore training landscape. Been quite refreshing so far interacting with my course mates who are all younger than me and come from different industries. Am almost completing my first module. Two more to go and I should complete the course early Aug 23.

Looking forward to completing this first milestone in my career transition journey.

Energizing chat

I had a most energising chat with my ex-CHRO from my previous company yesterday. I had kept in contact with her over the last decade and we have become good friends. Through the many years, she had given me invaluable advice with regards my career, and this time round was no exception. And so, over afternoon tea yesterday, I shared about the key developments over the last 8 months or so - my counseling sessions, my relationship with my boss, work environment, colleagues, etc. She, in turn, shared with me her perspectives about the situation. Here're the long and short of her sharing:

• Since I already know what I want, I should just spearhead forward and focus on building for the future. Take the courses I want to take, and don't waste my energies trying to be too safe in wanting to hold on to a job that is dragging me down, not withstanding the fact that it is paying me quite decently. Objectively and realistically, I will experience a period of uncertain renumeration, but in the long run, things will stabilise and I should be able to reach a new equilibrium - one that will be able to see me through beyond my retirement age.

• From her observations of me and my work attitudes, it would be, in her opinion, very difficult for me to divide my energies on 2 major fronts at the same time. She rightfully pointed out that I have always been the type of person who would focus all my energies to get what I want done, and do it well. And so, by trying to hold on to a job while concurrently juggling my energies to prepare myself for my next phase of my career, I might end up not being effective in both. And for that, I would be doing myself a disservice.

• As for my boss, her take is that I have achieved so much things in my professional life and I am far more qualified and abled than what I had deemed myself to be. As such, I should not put myself through all the nonsense that my boss is subjecting me to - trying to box me into a role that is way below what I am capable of. She reminded me that by doing so, I may end up doubting my own abilities without realizing it and become demoralised, and that was how I ended up needing to go through counseling.

But she acknowledged and respected the fact that I am very much the product of the Singaporean system and tend to be more risk adverse and am very careful in my decision-making. Nonetheless, she is of the opinion that at my age (we are about the same age), I should seriously consider going ahead and jump head on with my next phase in my career choice. I do thank her for very candid and upfront sharing. 

It was a good reminder... 

A wake up call

Two weeks ago, I experienced frequent bouts of breathlessness. For some weird reasons, I couldn't breathe and had to take very deep breaths. And despite that, I couldn't seemed to get my lungs filled and I ended up gasping for breath - not dissimilar to how a fish would struggle when it is out of water.

These experiences troubled me enough to make me seek medical help. I visited my company doctor who, in turn, referred me to my cardiologist and they both put me through a series of tests. The tests included a blood test, x-ray, ecg, ultrasound of the heart, etc... as they wanted to ascertain if my breathlessness was due to a recurrence of asthma, or something more dangerous - that of a heart failure or some lung issue. Thankfully, the test results turn out fine - my heart was ok, and so was the lungs. But the blood test showed some abnormality - my white blood cell count was a tat lower than what it should have been. The doctors concluded that I could possibly have an internal viral infection that would clear after a couple of days but otherwise, there was nothing that I should be too concerned about. 

Admittedly, going through the tests and hearing the cardiologist explaining about the possibility of a heart failure, or lung issues, etc made me realise how close I was to having a life threatening situation. I never felt so vulnerable until then and it made me to sit up and rethink about life...