- Country of Origin: Australia
Let me set a scene for you. I’m at gorgeous Coogee Beach in Sydney, on the Pacific — just had a really nice swim — and the sun is about to set on my twenties.
As I watched the sunset, I thought a lot about what I want my thirties to look like. And it hit me like the waves that struck me during my swim. I thought to myself, “I do not want to be in the office anymore.”
This is not to say the media agency I was at, or the people I worked with were bad. The work is achievable, and ideally, by my age, I would need a stable career. The people I was working with were all fantastic people, and the office and location beautiful. But the one question I kept asking myself was — is this something I want to do for the rest of my life? Simply put, NO! By the time I was at Coogee, I was burnt out at work. The very same day I made a vow to pursue things that give me happiness and peace; that energize me every day. Writing, photography, and teaching are some of those. I wanted to chase them all.
Fast forward one month, and I handed in my resignation.
After working for five years in the media industry, where I was involved in successful campaign implementations and met so many amazing people, I stepped away from the comforts and into the unknown. My passion drove me away from the comforts.
I headed toward a destination more peaceful and fulfilling — life as a writer, a photographer, or a teacher overseas was my dream. A lot of people in my work circle thought it was a ballsy thing to do and results will not come overnight. So in the meantime, I’m looking for something temporary or part-time to cover my expenses …
I keep myself busy
Volunteering for a community center, staying in the gym, learning a new language, and practicing in language exchanges are the ways I kept myself busy. All these activities helped me stay busy and sane through the long rut of finding a job two years ago. With volunteering, I may not get paid, but along with gaining experience and honing my skills, there was an inner joy I got by teaching the elderly English or about using phones. The gym gave me a sense of accomplishment — completing heavy lifts. And learning a new language shows a dedication to learning new things.
That dedication has extended to my pursued career
Before I handed in my resignation, I started writing a blog about my journey from office worker to potential freelancer. I’ve also been refreshing my knowledge about freelance writing and immersing myself back into a master’s course in writing. Language exchanges have allowed me to learn and get better at a language whilst also helping those who are struggling with English.
After I resigned, the first thing I did was go back to Coogee where it all started. I then went on the Coogee-to-Bronte walk and took photos from that even more scenic beach. Since then I’ve been on photography trips, heading to different beaches and some areas I have never been to before. There is a lot of testing out of lighting and shutter speeds to help me develop a style of photography that is truly mine; which is actually what this journey has been about — developing a me best suited to writing, teaching, or photography.
Still, I haven’t 100% said goodbye to the media
You can never be sure in life, so I can’t be certain I’m done with the media industry forever. There have been publishers and people from other agencies that I’ve met that I would go as far as to say are my friends. One good thing about the media industry is that the people in it are quite laid back, so , it was easy to make connections there as I’m the same kind of person. Plus, I’ve always been told to never burn bridges. If this career change doesn’t work out, those connections I made through just being my outgoing self at many media parties will bode well if I return to the media industry. Never say never.
Career changes are never easy. I can say with certainty that it is still scary stepping away from somewhere that gave me comfort and security to delve into the unknown. But when those doubts start to creep in…
I remind myself of the why
At the end of “The Last Dance” documentary, Michael Jordan said it was maddening that not only did he retire at his peak, but he and the Bulls didn’t get the chance to go for seven NBA championships. There are so many could haves or what ifs to this day that bothered Jordan, and I wonder if I might feel the same if I didn’t at least try. And it isn’t just because I want the comfort in saying I tried my best, it’s because I want to chase things that’ll give me happiness. I want to break out of the 9 to 5 routine and be my own man. If I do end up back in the media industry, I want to at least proudly say I gave it my best. Working at a desk, I can sit back at peace, knowing that I tried.
We all have different circumstances in life that make career changes less than ideal. If an opportunity knocks where you can pursue your passion in life, can we take that leap forward? Life is short and can end in an instant — this year has shown me how to take those leaps instead of sitting by and waiting for those leaps to happen.
Thank you to Tripti Mund and Yosef Baskin for their inspired edits on this piece and everyone else on the Work & Life team.
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Jin-Su K
Jin-Su K is a world traveler living in Sydney, Australia. He previously worked in the media industry but is currently pursuing a career in writing and photography. In his spare time, he is active in the gym, swims, dances, plays basketball and goes on regular photography trips.
