I Took a One Year Career Break, Here’s What I Learned

[@samkan726]

I am in my sudden career break, that was not expected and somehow outside of my 5-years financial plan. It's been nearly 3 weeks now and I am still feeling insecure. On my way in job searching, I realised that I am looking for a life instead of a job. I wanted the money for survival (and life planning), a good position for reputation (cooperate world), but also a job that allows me to live a life (which is hard to find in Hong Kong). This entered into a toxic loop, and I am not sure what I want exactly. Thank you for your video which allows me to let go of my anxiety and understand that a "career break" is not a term of failure but success in life :)

[@rohitwonder]

Thanks for sharing Sam, I'm glad the video provided some relief. Any unplanned disruptions are a shock and will be emotional rollercoasters, especially in a place like Hong Kong which is so work oriented, so the emotional rollercoaster is totally understandable and it's big of you to admit it. Sometimes you need to get lost to find yourself again, that's how I viewed my break, and hopefully a perspective that would be helpful to you as well. Your break is absolutely not a failure, whether you plan it or not, it's time to slow down and be in the moment and have some fun and be kind to yourself...who you are and what you want will emerge from this place with time ☺

[@ladybookworms]

Sometimes when you must do a thing for yourself because very deep down that is truly what you want but you don't do it out of fears that are instilled in you or because you fear that it cannot possibly work, and this fear paralyses you to inaction or staying where you are and trying to convince yourself that the current path is the best path and it's not a good idea to change and you start to succeed in blocking your own path, then your true self cannot bear this nonsense any longer and will start to contrive with the universe and you will be kicked into the new path that you were so fearful to take and they will do so in a way that you have no choice to go back. You have no choice but to go forward into the unknown.

[@Thrivantgarde]

I really identify with your 3rd lesson Rohit, on the emotional rollercoaster journey during a career break. Public service announcement to anyone reading this: this can happen even if you are financially prepared for a career break! I decided to channel those intense feelings into curiosity instead, and embark on creative projects I've never done before. All the best on your 2024 goals working on RUclips, your first movie and businesses!

[@avagup]

Hi Rohit... so glad that I stumbled upon this video. I quit my data analyst corporate job 10 days ago due to chronic stress, anxiety it was giving me. As a mother of a toddler, I felt I was having no time for myself in a day. But 10 days into the break I feel I have not achieved enough in terms of personal care. But I am getting there slowly, getting my health in line is the priority for now. I do not have a backup plan yet, my husband has a stable job so I am relying on him till I figure out what I really like doing. It is very scary path but hopefully I will at least improve my health and spend more time with family. Thanks for your video !

[@rohitwonder]

Hi @avagup, glad you found it helpful, good on you for taking the leap and prioritising your wellbeing. It will be a rollercoaster of emotions but take it one day at a time ❤️

[@janel9468]

Thank you for sharing. I stumbled upon your video and next Friday is my last day of work. I had to leave due to burn out and anxiety. Dreaded work everyday! I do not have any plans yet but it is scary being in my 40s. I'm glad to know that someone else in Singapore is on this journey.

[@Thrivantgarde]

Fellow Singaporean here (also in my 40s)! If you quit due to burnout and anxiety, it takes a while for your nervous system to reset. Being "efficiency-minded", sometimes we are impatient with our own progress. It helps to remember that we need to be patient with ourselves as we are becoming someone we've never been! All the best!

[@chuayuyang6659]

no idea how you only have 740 subs you're under rated man

[@rohitwonder]

Aww thank you Chua Yuyang, that means a lot! I'm so grateful to be able to make videos and share them, if the channel grows with that, even better but I really appreciate you watching and I'll keep making videos regardless🫰🏽

[@harshbijarnia6873]

Rohit, my man. I truly resonate with you here. I was actually looking for people who have had a career break (I took my break 11 months ago) - and this video made me feel not alone in this.
I was working in consulting for close to 5 years and then took time off to travel, give some time to my passion and just rest.

[@numbersx3]

Thank you for the video! I just quit my job one month ago and have a lot of the same feelings and experience you talked about - nice to hear from someone else in a similar position! Good luck with what comes next ❤

[@rohitwonder]

You're totally welcome @aydinnn! Always great to connect with someone else on a break and I hope you're enjoying it and make the most of it!

[@kimberlytng8926]

Proud of the journey you’ve had. What got us here, won’t get us there! Excited for what is to come 🎉

[@rohitwonder]

Thank you Kim! Excited for the journey you are embarking on as well, once we get over the fear of starting, one step at a time, we can make things happen ❤️

[@ySinghhh]

Thankyou for sharing this...

[@annabellas.4379]

The amount of grit and determination it took to get you to where you are is truly admirable and I love hearing / watching about your journey so far! Please keep the videos coming!

[@rohitwonder]

Muchas gracias por sus amables palabras señora lagarto.

[@isabellasim5648]

Thx Lizzie 🦎❤

[@sonderexpeditions]

Thinking of doing this.

[@rohitwonder]

Do it @sonderexpeditions!

[@superaj11]

Glad to be witnessing this journey from you man! Learning a lot from what you are sharing with us and to the world. Thank you for being a source of inspiration! Keep it up! 💯

[@rohitwonder]

Thank you so much AJ, enjoying watching your journey as well! 🫰🏽

[@heyongway]

Really needed to hear this today 🥹 what a journey!

[@rohitwonder]

Thanks @heyongway, looking forward to your break and all that comes with it!

[@stephaniefisher9407]

I enjoyed watching your video. Very insightful and loved the drawings and how you organized the lessons. Great content. Suggestion for future video that would interest me Would maybe be on how taking time off helped with deeper self discovery. Thanks for the insights.

[@rituraj.sharma]

Bro your content must be reached to more people, try to learn RUclips algorithms, best wishes from heart

[@abidsyed2527]

I am so proud of you!!! 😊

[@rohitwonder]

❤️

[@AniNagendra]

Love this! What an awesome experience and such insightful takeaways.

[@rohitwonder]

Thanks Ani! It's been a hell of a ride but thankfully I've had really supportive people around me including your family to support me through my break 🙏🏽

[@praveenchaudhary17]

More power to you my friend.. :)

[@rohitwonder]

Thank you Praveen! 👊🏽

[@abidsyed2527]

Cool info-graph’s and animations.

[@rohitwonder]

Thank you Abid!

[@animatronext]

Big fan here! Amazing journey man

[@rohitwonder]

Big fan of you Ryan!! I didn't realise you dabbled with RUclips as well, a family man, artist, you are the true renaissance man!

[@animatronext]

@@rohitwonder that's a wonderful compliment coming from the true renaissance man himself -- The real master of multimedia arts and martial arts. (Now go finish THAT movie!)

[@ashoknar]

So relatable!

[@rohitwonder]

Thanks Ashok and super excited for your career break, keep us posted how your sabbatical goes!

[@adammorra3813]

Great video, thanks for sharing! Do you think you have found your "What" and "Why" in life during this creative sabbatical? Do you have any pressures from running out of money? I know you said you got rid of your scarcity mindset but that still leaves bills to pay.

[@rohitwonder]

Thanks for watching Adam, and the great questions. I think having a "what" and "why" hypothesis just gave me a direction to try reconnect with parts of my identity I feel I lost. I got so used to having a job that I didn't know how to function without one, it became inseparable from my identity. I feel the break helped me create distance with my work identity, and allowed me to play around with identities I felt I lost when I had a full time job. 💰On money, my scarcity mindset also made me save as much of my income as I could over the years lol, and I kept a pretty simple lifestyle and avoided debt, so I have enough put away where my fear is less about running out of money soon and more the uncertainty of how I will make money in the future. My goal now is to maintain my rediscovered identity, and figure out how to cover my regular costs and living expenses. I'd be pretty happy if I could get there as a next step, and then see how I feel at that stage. I hope that answers your questions?

[@adammorra3813]

@@rohitwonder Hi Rohit, yes that does answer my question. I am glad you have found your why and it's better to know that sooner rather than later. As Friedrich Nietzsche says, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” In terms of identity shifting, you might also want to take a look at Maxwell Maltz's Psycho-Cybernetics book which I highly recommend. The exercises in there will help you find your true core self and self-image.
Looking forward to more updates on your journey and hope you eventually find what makes you happy, fulfilled, and makes you money!

[@luisrosales3239]

Awesome video ❤

[@rohitwonder]

Thank you very much Luis, glad you enjoyed it 🫰🏽

[@thelastchimp8670]

dope stuff bro

[@alanctm]

Thanks for sharing your journey. May I know how old are you when you started your career break? How many months of savings did you plan? Many thanks!

[@rohitwonder]

Hi Alan! I was around 37/38 when I started my break, and stockpiled about 2 years income 👍🏽

[@band1t9999]

120 hours for a motorcycle license ? Where did you get your license

[@belindaHBL]

❤❤❤❤

[@rohitwonder]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@esparda07]

Wait a minute, I saw Ramon Bautista lol.

[@ShernSharma]

Still too much handsome.

[@rohitwonder]

❤️🍆

[@shafserious2805]

Whats up with the naked LGBT woke sudden pic!