Career Shift in My Mid-Thirties

I've been a media practitioner most of my life. I was in 3rd year high-school when I decided I wanted to work in the field of broadcast communications and took up a related course in college. However, at a certain point in my life especially when my family started to move a lot for so many reasons, naisip ko parang hindi na sya - how should I say it - as lucrative as it used to be. So many new breed of media professionals are emerging. Younger, more dynamic, more creative. It is kind of sad (oo aaminin ko na rin, ego-crushing) to admit that I'm a "has been" in this field. Napaglipasan na ng panahon, ika-nga.

When I was still with the academe, I paid a visit to one of our students doing her practicum in Star Cinema. ABS-CBN used to be my turf during my almost 3 years as a producer there. It was nostalgic to be back there. Ibang iba na. I met one of my former colleagues in Starbucks ELJ. (Flashback moment: 10 years ago when I was sitting there with Luis Manzano before our show in Wazzup). Napagusapan about growing as a professional in the entertainment business. Tumatak talaga yung sinabi nya na

"Kapag PA (production assistant) ka pa rin by the age of 28, mag-isip isip ka na ng ibang career kasi sigurado mahihirapan ka nang umangat pa sa industriyang ito"

I was 23 when I joined ABS. 25 years old when I became an Associate Producer. Had I continued in this career I would've been an Executive Producer by the age of 30 tulad ng mga kasabayan kong pumasok noon.

But, I had my priorities. I chose family over my career. And through the years hanggang ngayon, yan pa rin ang firm stand ko. Family first. Di bale mawalan ako ng trabaho, wag lang mawala ang pamilya ko. I still do the same thing today. I gave up my job in the academe to transfer to Davao to be with my husband, stop working so I can my son's first teacher, and consequently putting my career on hold.

I've been out of work for about 2 months now. Nakakapanibago. I'm the proverbial workaholic. I think meron na akong Masters Degree in Multitasking. I need to be doing something and I need to earn. I feel weird that I'm not working. For those 2 months too I have been praying and meditating a lot. Seeking God's will in this area in my life.

Today, my joy is with my family. Serving my husband and son, doing household chores, errands, and all the things a housewife is able to do. But I feel a need to do more. I feel I want to be able to help my husband beyond the household work and augment the family income. I want to be able to help my sister-in-law who is a full-time campus minister for the Lord.

I don't want to go back to media production anymore. While my mind is still fresh and full of creative ideas, I feel my body has become less energetic and I couldn't handle the stresses that come with it. I don't want to be a teacher, yet. Saka na ulit siguro kapag tinawag na ako ng Lord sa profession na yon. I continue seeking God. And sabi ko nga sa Kanya, "Lord sana gift mo sa akin on my birthday (or in my birthday month) you would provide me directions on my future career." Something that doesn't take me away from my family 8 hours a day/6 days a week. I want to be able to do it at home and balance it with my desire to serve God through the church and through family and friends.

A few days before my birthday I saw this streamer by the tricycle terminal. I started to palpitate because a few months before, when I resigned from the University, our Dean and some of my colleagues encouraged me to review for the Real Estate Brokerage License. Lalo na raw that I will be between jobs. My heart wasn't into it then kasi nga Real Estate isn't really something that I was interested in. It was sales-driven and while I like houses (and we would like to have our own properties in the future), there was just too much Math involved. Tamad akong mag compute compute. Kaya nga I didn't get to finish my MBA kasi Math overload for me in some subjects. I was happy with graphic designing, filmmaking... the arts is my comfort zone.

But when I had my devotional that day, I just felt an urge to pray about it. The fee was beyond our family budget. Early bird registration was at P16,000.00 and the regular fee was P18,000.00. Since my husband is the only one who has a regular job for now it will take a chunk off our savings. Taking the Real Estate Brokerage Seminar and Exam is a high-involvement decision with long term rewards and the best return of investment, provided I pass the licensure exam.

In my prayer I told the Lord, "Please have someone decide for me. Please show us a miracle, an affirmation, a sign that this is the right decision now." Marami na kasi akong very costly decisions before that up to this point I try not to regret. Because of those, I have become afraid of going out of the Lord's will and as much as possible lahat ng decisions ko ngayon my go-signal from Him. Even to the point of having a Scripture to back it up.

One of the best things about my relationship with the Lord is that He answers my prayers as specific as how I asked him.

1. Scripture based: Proverbs 31:16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
2. I didn't have the money to pay for it and I missed the early bird registration. The money became available 3 days after the deadline and when I checked with the seminar organizers the early bird registration was extended. 
3. I needed a helper for my son and on the day that I was about to pay, someone became available.
4. My family was supportive 100%.

This was God's neon sign of saying "YES"

A career shift in my mid-thirties is scary. I also feel a little regret of not being able to "succeed" in the field that I invested on for more than 10 years. But my non-conformist self is quite happy because I have taken another unexpected direction. Some well-meaning friends comment that I have no focus, I jump from one thing to another (just like my blogs, haha). For me though, that is part of life's spontaneity.We should get used to rapid changes these days as the world around us is moving faster and faster. If this is a door the Lord has opened for me, then definitely in the end He will see me through it. 

Whatever skill have learned in the past and the new skills I acquire today they will all come together eventually. Connected din yan silang lahat. 

The key is to believe that everything has a purpose, everything will come full circle as long as you trust the Lord and believe that this is the direction He has for you.

Another principle I have learned in this part of my journey is that it doesn't really matter what other people say about you. What matters is that in your actions you have pleased those you value in life. For me that would be The Lord, my husband, my children and the rest of my immediate family. Expect that people will criticize you and will be watching you fail. But then again life without a few tumbles and failures wouldn't be exciting.

Have you ever thought of making a career shift? Don't worry no age is too late. When you feel the opportunity is for you, pray about it, look for the signs of affirmation and go for it with no regrets.

God bless you!