Dear Invisible Friends,
I have finished 3 pages of the site! They are still rough but it should do for now. Today, I want to share what I wrote for “My Story” in case you missed the page. I have procrastinating writing this final piece because I had to list all the “bad” things that happened to me since February 2020. Now I think I am ready to make last year and a half to be a part of my life narrative open to the public. I am feeling quite vulnerable to share such personal facts; however, I believe if we all open up to each other and embrace our true inner selves, the world would become a much safer place where you and I can find understanding and belonging.
Here is My Story:
“Once upon a time, there was a PhD-trained professional named Irina. Since the dawn of time and/or as far as she remembered, Irina spent all her time learning, achieving, and proving to others that she is worth attention and salary organizations were willing to pay her. Her career was growing, but her life was disappearing until she could no longer finder her reflection in the mirror.
Then came:
- burnout
- loss of purpose and meaning
- COVID 19 pandemic
- physical health problems
Once the fog of depression blew over, I decided it was time for radical change to bring back my lost wellbeing. My survival instinct whispered, “get away, stay still, explore,” and finally, I listened. Next were the preparations for what I christen “a life sabbatical” – 3-6 months dedicated to rest, exploration, and liminality. Since I didn’t have any specific job to transition to, I started a blog to keep me sane and record my experience if some of it you, my invisible friends, find it useful.
As you might guess, A Life Sabbatical is a quest for clarity, purpose, and sense-making for those of us who are trying our hardest to integrate life and work, and everything in between to create a fulfilling life worth living.
Keep in touch. Get connected. Stay curious! “
Irina, The hopeful
