It has been a long time since I wanted to write about this, and now, after exactly one year, I'm more than ever convinced of my decisions, that is why I've reopened my blog, resumed an old draft and completed it.
Many (good) things are happening to me, most of them are the direct consequence of a decision which I took on the 10th of September 2009.
On the last two and a half years, since I've moved to the UK, I've been wondering a lot about my future, seeking for something new, better opportunities, which I couldn't find at home; I've spent so much time wondering about what my expectations for the future are, how to evolve into a better, more successful and happy person, how get the best out of my life.
Eventually, because of a very deep frustration at work, I've decided to read a couple of good books (Who moved my cheese and Peaks and Valleys), to stop and identify, trying to be 100% honest with myself, the causes of my frustration first and in second instance what I could do to fix them.
Definitely not an easy task, most of us keep lying to ourselves as much as we can, because hiding the truth is the best way to justify our (wrong) behavior and to remain in the comfort zone which is, in my opinion, the cause of the frustration itself.
It took me a couple of nights to sort out my thoughts and to come out with two simple, straight forward decisions: I do not consider my experience abroad finished and that I need to be more challenged by my job and by my personal life.
I've been leaving a very relaxed life: going to work at the same office for years and years (even if I've changed country, still the same company, same persons, same job...), party in the weekend, relax on Sundays and go back to work the next week.. over and over again...
To break the loop I've decide that the first step would have been to change my job: I've refused the offer from the company I used to work for to go back to Italy even if it the was interesting and, in a way, a step up in my career, I've refused after been negotiating all the clauses for quite a while without being satisfied completely and at the end I've realized that it was only because I should have gone back to Italy, which even only the idea to do that today frustrates and depresses me; to spice things up on the same day I've resigned from my position without having another job! That was challenging :)
Sorting the job out was an easy task, it didn't take long,I've been contacted by the person who is now my manager and he offered me a new and better position in another company, so that my working life was sorted.
I believe that talking about how I found the new job is worth a couple of lines; there is a Latin proverb which I think it perfectly suits my idea: "Audaces fortuna iuvat" which translates to "Fortune favors the bold". Yes, the only reason why I found this job is because I've challenge the luck and I left the old one without having another one to replace it, the person who got in contact with me did it only because he knew I left my job and I would have been potentially unemployed very very soon, so that he took the opportunity to offer me what he was maybe wondering to offer me anyway; I've been lucky, I know.. but on the other hand going trough the "normal procedure" (frustration, research, interview, new position, resignation, new job) for sure it wouldn't have brought the same result and it would have taken a long long time! Now after about 4 months in the new company I'm still very happy of my decision, since than my life is flying!
After sorting the job, I understood that on a personal level it was time to give a big shake to my lazy life.. and thanks to the big boost of confidence that the new job gave me, I've decided to start, for the first time in my entire life, a strict diet: work out, eat less and... no alcohol! Now, after about 6 months on my diet I've lost about 35kg! I know.. it is a big number, but still a long way to target which is still almost 20kg far, but result so far is astonishing! This is giving me even more confidence, I see people and the world in a completely different way! I must tell you that I definitely like this one better :P
I wish to close this message with a hint for who consider working in a place where managers' target is to reduce our confidence and motivation only a "work related" problem, that it is not true.
Working takes a big slice of our time, and whatever happens in the workplace has got a strong influence also on our personal life... the lack of motivation, frustration or even guiltiness that managers transfer to us will change the way we look at ourselves and the people around us and we will transfer them to the people around us, try to share with them the misery of our life!
If you do not feel happy where you work or you are not happy of your life, start asking yourself why that it is happening to you and try to fix it, be honest with yourself!
if the problem is your job please find a different place, if the problem is your life, try to sort it out attacking issues to their very foundations.
Changes bring always good things.
