Some self-reflections from my first career break ever

My career break journey, which has been lasting for six months, is coming to an end soon. It has been an amazing experience with lots of self-discoveries, lots of lessons learned, meaningful conversations, and connections. As I felt a burning urge to share my story, I decide to upload it on Linkedin so that in the next 05 or 10 years, I could look back on this super special turning point in my life to see how it has shaped my career decisions.

Some misconceptions about a career break

A career break, a sabbatical - is common in western countries but is quite unfamiliar in Vietnam, at least unfamiliar to people I talk with. My friends dream to have a career break but feel it is just a privilege for the rich with a redundant amount of money. When they get married, a career break is out of reach because they bear a lot of pressure – 1) Society – Many outsiders harshly judge those who stop working and easily label them as purely lazy, and useless 2) Family – If their family knows they are taking a career break, they will require them to carry out more house chores, family businesses and may not respect the fact that they just want a BREAK. 3) Some people put their pride in having a successful career, therefore even if they feel stressed out, they are afraid they will lose their recognition in case they take a break.

That was why when I decided to take my career break, some people mistook that I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth, and some thought I was brave enough to let go of my thriving career to pursue unknown destinations. The TRUTH ?is – I set aside money and carefully managed my budget, I discussed with my family and close friends to clear out their misconceptions and got their support, and I was confident that the career break was as important as my job, and it could teach me something I would never find if I continued my daily routine.

How I enjoyed my break

I have a secret love for planning. Indeed my planning for a career break lasted longer than the actual break itself (6 months). First, I made my dream list of all the things I wanted to do, then shortlisted the top things I actually wanted. But a dream is not enough. I needed to set SMART goals for my top lists and estimated the resources I needed to realize my dreams?(money, efforts, family and friend support…). I read the local regulations for the unemployed to understand my benefits and the documents needed to receive the grant. I talked with friends who had experienced the career break, did some reflections, and received advice from them. Besides my savings and grant, I thought about how I could maintain a stable income while doing something I want to do. I chose to teach because it helps me improve my interpersonal skills and helps me grow deeper connections with learners. Some of my best friends are the ones who receive my “teaching service” ^^

The first thing on my list is travel – I chose Da Lat – Nha Trang/Phu Yen – Ho Chi Minh city. Some may say solo traveling to Da Lat is only for the heart-broken, but strangely enough, I was recharged and pumped with energy by spending time sipping a cup of coffee and looking out to the greenery and mountains. Da Lat local people are so hospitable and lovely – as long as you stay out of the city hub, the hustles, and bustles. A Da Lat Grabber took me to a restaurant but it only opens in the afternoon, so he took me to another great one without asking for an extra charge, a restaurant owner was so honest that she could not overexaggerate her food quality… In Nha Trang/Phu Yen, I enjoyed the trip with my closest friends. Fresh air, breezes, emerald beaches, noisy EDMs, and mouth-watering food. As I was on my break, my mind was in a floating state and I was totally immersed in the scene while watching my friends typing on their laptops running crazy deadlines. I was moved by how they prioritized their time and money for the trip. In Ho Chi Minh City, I felt fortunate to connect with a new community, and more innovative & bizarre brains. Saigon opens its arms to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Despite countless glamorous and spacious restaurants and cafes, what I found most exhilarating was drinking beer in a metalhead pub and admiring its Gothic decorations at midnight.

The second thing is to learn – I love languages and music but have never spent much quality time studying them. I finished a Coursera course about Introduction to Classical Music by Prof. Wright (Even if we have no face-to-face interactions, I feel grateful to have this passionate and excellent teacher on my learning journey), and studied 1-on-1 with a vocal coach and a piano tutor. 4 years ago, I was fortunate enough to perform (solo singing) for the opening of the Global Sales Masters celebration, so I was curious if could improve my natural singing ability. My vocal teacher taught me not only singing techniques but also her life experience, how difficult it was to survive Vietnam showbiz while maintaining the singing talent. Her behind-the-scenes stories made me realize nothing was as simple as it seemed. How the showbiz stars, especially those with real talents poured their efforts into improving their singing skills and staying in the limelight was worthy of respect from the audience. I could say I passed the beginner level of piano learning but there was so so much room for improvement, and I am excited to continue my piano, and singing learning till the end of my life. Thanks to a beginner Coursera course on linguistics, I realized why German and English shared familiarities, the same for Italian, Spanish and French. I downloaded Duolingo and after trying to learn around 11 languages, I decided to continue learning seriously Spanish (my favorite song is Por Una Cabeza ^^). I have my own Duo family to share the love of language learning with my peers and encourage each other daily.

The third is family bonding – I used to set my family on fire with my seemingly unexpected and ruthless decisions. I used to misunderstand that they want to control me or think of me still as an immature kid. But some incidents happened and I learned to share the burden of responsibilities. I sat down to talk with my nephews, trying to figure out their opinions and ideas. I spent time taking care of my parents, who are on the other side of the hill. I learned to empathize, not totally sympathize. I learned to share my ideas, listened to the other side of the story, and came to some compromises with my family. Slowly, I learned that to work well in relationships, I should not aggressively push my love and decisions on someone. I need to understand their love language as well. I start to see them clearer – the same people but lovelier, more adorable. I tried to act as a diplomat to ease the tension and connect them all together.

Next steps

After my successful retreats, I felt so blissful and content to move toward my next career destination. Initially, I would love to broaden my knowledge of the marine area, and I…. MADE IT with wonderful support and trust from my ex-managers, ex-peers, and my future management team. My application journey was less challenging than I had expected, and I gave the honest answer to the stressful question “Why did you leave your last company for a career break?” I would definitely continue learning piano, vocal techniques, and Spanish, but balance time for my career and family as well.

So, if you want to take a career break and ask more about my journey, I am happy to share you.

If you are hesitant to face the heat from external and internal pressure, I would cheer you up, encourage you to be brave, and respect your own choice.

But be well-prepared, especially when we are all going through the toughest economic crises, and stay optimistic!

#Careerbreak #Careeradvancement #Selfreflection2022

P/S: my photo was taken at a serene cafe in Dalat, summer 2022