That Feels Good !!

“But my career is ruined !! It’s finished before it has started” - I wailed to my parents; while they continued to assuage me that no heaven has fallen. But where was I to listen? I continued my rant and crying and sobbing for God knows how long. This was when I had just finished my graduation and I didn’t know what next to do. Trust me, being a girl who had always dreamt of becoming a hot-shot career woman and imagine waking up one day to find that she doesn’t know what is she going to do for her career is not one of the best situations to be in.

My friends had already started their Chartered Accountancy training (that was THE best thing to do if you were a commerce student then) and I was the only one left behind, or so I felt. I weighed my options. I could start my Chartered Accountancy as well. But the balance sheets put me off-balance and finding balance for somebody else’s balance sheet was not my idea of a hot-shot career, so.. (My dear Chartered Accountant friends, please don’t get offended at this, coz I now know that you do have a hot-shot career as a Chartered Accountant) Well, so moving on, the next option was taking up to the preparation

for UPSC and becoming a hot-shot IAS officer. It did seem lucrative but psstt.. that was hell lot of work and hence it didn’t seem to be my cuppa of chai.. The next option in front of me was to continue the legacy of my family and landing myself a proper, safe and a boring government job and hence start preparing for some competitive exams. That was hell lot of work too, so… you know. I also thought of taking up a job. But with just a commerce graduation degree in hand, the chances of landing at a decent one were slim. I did go for a few interviews though, at some stock broking firms, but the atmosphere of people yelling on the phone to buy some things and sell some things and gasping at the figures on the television screens unnerved me. Besides, the fact that stock market was mumbo-jumbo to me at that point of time. Well, not that I understand it completely now. But that option seemed too grey to me. I also tried my hand at those call centers burgeoning at a break-neck speed at that time. I could impress a few interviewers with my English finesse but working night shifts was not that of a great career idea for my family. So, that option too found its way in the dustbin.

And after whacking my brains and the brains of my family members, relatives, distant relatives, friends, friends of friends and every person who I thought could advise me on career options; I zeroed down on getting MBA for myself. Eventually, I topped my entrance test, did my Masters from an institute of repute and landed a job. (the kind where the only reason you wake up every morning and bear all the pains to reach office is those three magical words at the end of every month – “Salary is Credited”)

Now, the reason I am blabbering this list of oh-not-so-great career options, once

thought by me is that just a few days ago, my little sister screamed – “But what about my career? I see it going nowhere.” (Hah, worrying about having a hot-shot career runs in the family, I guess  :D :D) And I was thrown back at the time when I had given those sleepless nights to my parents wondering about my career. Little had I known that eventually, things WOULD fall into place. I even explained this to her. But was she to listen? You got it right. Nope, she didn’t and continued her share of ranting.

How many times have we not increased our blood pressures thinking about problems, wrecking our nerves wondering about them, trying to find out solutions to deal with them, not caring to shut those pesky little negative voices inside our heads which keep on raising those ‘what-ifs’ one after the other. What if I didn’t get good marks? What if I didn’t land a great job? What if I didn’t get a good wife? What if my children didn’t listen to me? What if my children’s careers didn’t head in proper direction? And there, we go on and on and on about these never ending what-ifs.

But over the period of time, when things get sorted out, do we spare a moment to think about the chaos our mind was into and wonder why on earth did we have to worry so much about it when eventually.. eventually… things would have been just fine. At the

risk of sounding like one of those life coaches, religious gurus and God knows whom, (believe me, I am too far from being like anyone of them) let me say, why not take some time out to think about how the mess that once created ruckus into our lives got cleaned eventually and give yourself a few moments of good time. Trust me, it feels so good to even think that a problem that once existed is now washed, cleaned, dried, sorted and has found its way up the shelf. And after you’ve had your share of good time, remember not to bang your head the next time a worry crops up your sleeve. Coz, eventually, that will get sorted out too ;)