1 Year Life Update: Feeling uncertain and curious

This month, I hit a personal life milestone: 1 year in these United States of MURICA 🇺🇸 … 1 year of living away from home and 1 year of adulting (for real this time).

These days, I have been so wrapped up with work that I haven’t really had a chance to think about the last year and the one just starting. Over the holidays, I tried to pause and reflect on 2022 before moving on too quickly, but got swept up in nearly a dozen gatherings — too busy having fun and catching up with my friends and family 😅

Usually, I am on top of my annual planning game and would have had a spreadsheet and presentation ready to go by now. But it’s already the end of January and I haven’t even mapped out my 2023 goals and ambitions yet (oh, the horror) 😵

Living through the looming layoffs

Right now, I have mixed feelings about life and career. I am sure that many of you heard about the big round of Microsoft layoffs that recently took the tech industry by storm. Coincidentally, my partner and I have also been deciding whether or not we should renew our lease… After all, how ironic would it be if we signed on for another year only to be axed shortly after? At the same time, I know that we can’t let the fear of “what if” get in the way of our goals and plans because then we’d always be in limbo 🥲

So far, I haven’t had much time to ruminate about layoffs because of how busy work has been, but I have been thinking about how important it is for all of us to document our work. That way, if anything were to happen — knock on wood — at least there’s some guidance for those who need to eventually fill in the gaps after us. Once life and work quiet down a bit, I’ll think more deeply about navigating the layoffs landscape.

Feeling fortunate for finding fabulous friends

Although work has been insane, my weekends have been filled with fun since returning to Seattle after the holidays. Every week, there are dinners, parties, and hangouts galore, and it’s been so nice to catch up with my not-so-new friends. I still really miss my peeps back home, but I am so thankful for the wonderful peeps that I’ve met in the past year and am eager to continue nurturing these friendships in 2023 🥰

At the same time, I am feeling a little homesick although it’s only been a month since I’ve been back. I miss my family A LOT and I wish there was a way I could see them more often and work remotely for a few days… Unfortunately, Microsoft’s corporate policy doesn’t allow employees to work remotely from abroad — but hopefully, this policy will change and evolve with the times one day soon 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

2023 (a poem by yours truly)

I think that 2023
Is a year I’ll let it be
What comes and goes
I’ll see
It all as
Serendipity

The months will fly
As I pass on by
My friendships will flourish
Along with all that I nourish
My mental and physical health
Just taking care of myself

I think that 2023
Will be a year
That I feel free
Instead of living
In fear
Of all the uncertainty

—
That’s it… for now! Thanks for reading my life update and I hope you enjoyed my little poem… Sending lots of encouragement to those of you who have been hit by the layoffs. Please check out these resources that are meant to help you with your job hunting: