Hi Star!
It’s great to see you reading this episode. LOL, I can’t believe I am here once again to apologize. At this rate, it’s making it seem like my apology is not sincere, but I swear it is. I understand that the last time I wrote for the series was on July 16, 2023 (Gosh, that was so long ago).
You can find the previous edition here: [Diary Of An Ambitious Hermit Episode 3].
For this episode, I want to share what’s been going on in my life since Episode 3. It’s been a time of exploration and curiosity, let me tell you. Episode 4 is going to show how much I’ve been craving to discover new things — not just about myself, but also about the world outside, especially since I’ve been unemployed. This episode is like a reminder that life doesn’t have strict limits. It proves that even someone who’s usually unfocused can’t resist the exciting pull of new horizons.
The Beginning
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin. A lot has happened, and I managed to accomplish my top 3 goals for this year. So, I’ll start from the present and work my way backwards. But before I continue, something unfortunate occurred recently that left me feeling terrible. I had a job interview yesterday, and just 30 minutes before the interview, I unexpectedly fell asleep. I had everything ready: my questions prepared, the lighting set up – the works. Despite dealing with a leg cramp due to my period at that moment, I was convinced I could power for the interview. After all, I’ve been unemployed for 5 months now, and my funds have completely depleted, all thanks to school.
Regarding school matters, I’ve finally completed my internal defence. Most of the corrections were related to my first chapter. Additionally, I’ve managed to resolve my accommodation issues after almost three long months. Here, I’m sincerely imploring you: to avoid government universities for your post-graduate studies. Can you believe they don’t even recognize you as a student because the government hasn’t included post-graduate studies in their budget? It’s frustrating. And just to add to the ordeal, we were asked to make payments for the external defence —imagine that! Oh, and they consider providing refreshments during the defence as a mandatory thing too.
Now that my internal defence is out of the way, I still have the external defence to tackle. Then, there’s the submission to the Post Graduate School, and on top of that, I need to publish in both a journal and a conference (though both are still under review). The journey continues!
The Middle
Speaking of the money situation, a girl’s got to eat, right? I’ve been brainstorming and jotting down ways to make some money, and it hit me that I possess a bunch of skills that could bring in some cash. Things like community management, Canva designing, business operations, relationship building, tech know-how, setting up Airtable and Notion, my Excel proficiency, and the list goes on. It’s a bit ironic that with all these skills, I’m still facing financial issues. But I’ve figured out that my main hurdle is my struggle to promote myself effectively.
In the past year, except for this current one, I’ve been diligent about saving and investing. However, after some soul-searching, I’ve realized that three things need to happen for me to achieve financial stability. Firstly, I need to increase my monthly income. Secondly, I’ve got to diversify and generate multiple streams of income. Lastly, I should direct my focus towards investing in cash-flowing businesses that have a physical presence. It’s all part of the grand plan! For this reason, I had to start looking for how to generate income with Novellisteer as I really do not want to sign up for Google Ads or anything similar on the website; I always hate the sight of ads displaying when I visit a website.
My physical health is struggling; I battle leg cramps, waist aches, and unusual period cramps. My body has changed due to these struggles. Amid school, I’m not exercising regularly, but I manage 15-minute morning stretches and 2 yoga poses after Fajr. Despite battling uvulitis repeatedly in the past month, my mental health has surprisingly remained stable.
Moving Forward
I’ve submitted over 50 job applications in the last month, facing numerous instances of ghosting, less than 10 rejections, and 4 interview invitations. However, none of these endeavours has resulted in success. Yet, I remain determined to contribute to a startup or business by aiding their community efforts. This experience has highlighted the need to enhance my self-presentation and master the art of self-promotion to capitalize on upcoming prospects.
For my freelancing, my Upwork account is not giving results for this I will have to learn better to optimize my profile and know how to write a proposal. A friend and I are looking to create an agency account on Upwork maybe so maybe I could get more gigs and I recently started posting content on LinkedIn around ommunity marketing, Data and Cybersecurity.
You’re all aware of my fondness for books, Asian series, and music. In the past 30 days, I managed to read “Red, White, and Royal Blue,” caught up on several completed series, and enjoyed both new and classic music.
Lesson Learned
Episode 4 shares my yearnings for growth, creativity, and self-discovery. It’s a gentle nudge reminding me that my journey towards self-realization is distinct, whether that involves relishing solitude or pursuing dreams in the seemingly dull and uneventful city, all while navigating an uncertain career path.
Let Chat
- Have you ever experienced unexpected challenges right before an important event? Share your story in the comments!
- What strategies have you found effective for promoting your skills and abilities to potential employers? Let’s exchange tips!
- Have you encountered situations where you had to adapt and make the best out of unexpected circumstances? We’re all ears for your insights!
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