Before I turned 27 this year in 2021 I never understood why people would struggle with that age. Indeed, 27 is not easy because for many people it is a transition time. At least this is what it feels for me. My studies are definitely behind me, I’m not a complete starter in the corporate world anymore, yet also no professional. I am somewhere in between. Somehow, this is where the hard questions start. Where would I like to head? Where do I see myself in the long run? Where would I like to invest my time? In which field would I like to build my career?
After graduating from your studies, you feel so great and that you have accomplished so much in life. But actually, this is where the hard work starts. You are supposed to figure out what you would like to do, aka finding your profession. Invest your time in your career and still try to find this work-life-balance. What is that anyway?! Are you supposed to have it, when you are just building your career?
The good and the bad in the corporate world is the uncertainty. During your studies, you know, once you start this Bachelor/Master/PhD you are occupied for the next 2-3 years. In the corporate world it is way more uncertain and depends a lot on the people and often on unforeseen circumstances. On the one hand you need to try hard, go all in and try your best, but also be at the right time at the right spot and call the shots. It can be one slight little moment or one small decision which catapults you in the right direction.
Not only is the corporate world hard for itself, a pandemic comes on top as well. Mental struggles, isolation, more uncertainty, frustrations and limited options were on the agenda for a really long time. The rollout of vaccination gives hope at the end of the tunnel and I hope that next autumn/winter will still be better than the one in 2020/21. Now with the start of the reliefs of Covid-19, more doors seem to open up. Travel gets easier again, more career opportunities and flexible work appears on my mind. During the peak of the pandemic, my urge to leave my home country Austria was at its lowest like in no other time during my 20s.
Believe me, at the beginning of my 20s I wanted to flee from this country every single day, but my thoughts and gratitude changed during all those circumstances. However, I find myself thinking about it again and I feel an itch to somehow do it. On the one hand I really really really love my life in Vienna and I love this city so much. It is indeed the most livable city in the world. But I am young and I would like to see more from the world and experience still more. I am 27 and I think now is a better time to leave again (or thinking about it) than in ten years. I know it is a big step again and this time I would probably stay longer, however, it is my dream to have an unlimited contract to decide for myself how long I would like to stay. My experiences abroad so far in my life were always limited to a certain amount of time. I knew, after 5 to 6 months I’ll have to go back to Austria. If I dare to do it, I would like to fully follow my intuition to stay as long as I wish to or my gut tells me. I would like to be all in and I would like to decide only on my own.
I know those are big words and they may sound more dramatic as they will be eventually. Because I know in order to be successful, dreams have to be big. Oh yes, my dreams are big. I dare say that. However, I would like to make my life memorable. I would like to look back one day and I would like to say, oh yes I made all my dreams come true. Since there is only one life to live and the pandemic seems to ease up a bit, it is definitely time to call the shots. Since we only have this life, and I do believe it is worth trying, even though it might sound insane. Who of the big accomplishers were sane anyways?!
Nonetheless, I’ll enjoy this upcoming year before my 28th birthday. Everything will turn out how it is supposed to be. It will be a good one with many new and exciting things ahead, I just know it.
Kisses and hugs,
Lisa
Hi, I’m Lisa
