Man, April 2021. I remember it clearly. It felt like a bit of a crossroads for me in my job. I was feeling a bit… stagnant, you know? Like I was just cruising along, doing the same old thing, and honestly, it wasn’t really cutting it anymore. I knew deep down I wanted more, or at least something different, but I wasn’t sure where to even start. That feeling was heavy, weighing on me, and I finally just decided enough was enough. I had to shake things up.
So, I kicked things off by just sitting down and really, truly thinking about what I wanted. I grabbed a pen and paper – old school, I know – and just started jotting down everything. Not just vague dreams, but specifics. What skills did I have? What skills did I actually enjoy using? What kind of work made me feel good, made me feel like I was actually accomplishing something? And just as important, what was draining me? I spent a couple of evenings just mapping it all out, creating this messy web of thoughts. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a start, getting it all out of my head.
Next up, I got practical. I knew I needed to learn some new tricks. My current skillset was solid, but I could feel the edges getting dull. I went online, browsing different platforms for courses. I wasn’t looking for some fancy degree, just practical stuff that I could immediately apply. I zeroed in on a couple of areas that I knew were growing in my field and signed up for a basic online course on data visualization. It seemed manageable, just a few hours a week. I blocked out time in my calendar, making it a non-negotiable appointment with myself every Tuesday and Thursday evening after dinner. I also decided to dust off my old portfolio. I went through it piece by piece, updated some projects, and even started a small personal project to showcase some of the new things I was learning.
Networking, man. That’s always been a tough one for me. But I knew it was important. So, I pushed myself. I started by reaching out to a few old colleagues I hadn’t spoken to in ages. Just casual “how are you doing” messages, you know? Not asking for anything, just reconnecting. Then, I found a couple of industry meetups happening online. I forced myself to attend one. It was awkward at first, absolutely. But I managed to chat with a couple of people, just really brief hellos and quick questions about what they were working on. I exchanged contact info with one person who seemed to be doing something really interesting. I promised myself I’d send a follow-up email the next day, and I actually did.
I also started paying more attention to my daily work, the little things. I made a conscious effort to improve my communication. Before sending an email, I’d reread it, making sure it was clear and to the point. In meetings, I tried to speak up more, not just to talk, but to offer thoughtful input. I even started offering to help out on projects that were a bit outside my usual scope, just to gain new experiences and show I was willing to step up. This meant a few late nights, for sure, putting in that extra effort, but I figured it was worth it. I even took more detailed notes in meetings, not just for myself, but to better contribute to discussions. I was really trying to be more proactive, anticipating needs rather than just reacting.
Honestly, there were days I felt like giving up. The online course felt slow sometimes, and those networking chats were still a bit uncomfortable. There were moments when I’d think, “What’s the point? Is any of this really making a difference?” It was tough balancing the extra learning with my regular workload, plus trying to keep my social life somewhat alive. Some of those old colleagues never replied, and my follow-up email got no response from that one person at the online meetup. That stung a little, made me question if I was doing things right. But I just kept pushing through, reminding myself why I started this whole thing in the first place.
And you know what? By the end of April, I really started to feel a shift. It wasn’t some sudden, dramatic change, but a slow, steady build. The data visualization course, though small, gave me a new way to look at information, and I actually used some of the basic principles in a presentation at work. My boss even commented on how clear it was. That old colleague I reconnected with? Turns out, they had an opening on their team for a project that sounded right up my alley, and they suggested I apply. I wouldn’t have even known about it otherwise. My confidence started shooting up. I felt more engaged, more in control. It wasn’t about a new job yet, but about feeling like I was actually steering my own career path again, rather than just drifting along. It was a real booster, that month, setting things right for the long haul.
