{The Light in your Heart}

{The Light in your Heart}

15 May 2012

You know when you have that tiny voice in your heart telling you to do something?

Six years ago I decided New York would be my new home. I left my family, my friends, my luxury, and the job that I really loved. I arrived with confidence and was so eager to work in my field. After hundreds of job applications, tons of interviews, and two years later, I accepted a job offer from a public relations agency. I said to myself, "I am home."

 It is a job in my field but for some reason I felt something was missing. I decided to stay and observe before making any decisions. The funny thing is that my colleagues told me to decorate my room and the tiny voice in my heart said I should wait until a little later. I am glad that I listened to that tiny voice. Apparently I didn't have to make any decisions because the company made a decision for me. Three months after I joined, the recession hit. And of course, being a new hire, it made sense to let me go. I was crushed like those tiny muffin crumbles.

I was sitting in the subway and thinking what just happened. Sad? Check. Disappointed? Check. Lost? Check. Angry? Check and check. But I also remembered those days when I was just sitting and waiting for instruction. That's not me and no, I wasn't happy with that. Fast forward few months later I accepted a job offer at a nonprofit company. This job pushes me beyond my comfort zone. I used to be the one who wrote those key messages and talking points, and let the clients do the real talking. Now, I am doing public presentation. I arranged interviews between clients and media. I am now the one who is sitting in the hot seat.

As in any other jobs, there are bad days. There are days when I truly miss my job in my home country. There are days when I just want to quit. Last year that urge was so strong that I was actually looking for other options. Was I successful? Of course not. LOL. I grew frustrated but then I heard the little voice again. It said I should wait. I am not done here, yet. Ooooh FINE!

And I slowly understand why.

More and more people who attended my public workshop have expressed their sincere gratitude. Those who qualified for the program my organization offers actually signed up and found a fulfilling job that allows them to settle down with their family here. It gives me a chill that I play part in that process. Do I still miss my old job? Oh yes. Do I want to work in a PR agency again? No, not here. Perhaps in my home country and after selectively choose the clients I want to work with, but no, not in the U.S.

The light in my heart tells me to stay a little longer. So, I am staying here for a while.


Let the light in your heart be like car lights that show the way. Car lights tell you where you are. They light up the world for you. They light up the way you are going.

Let the light in your heart do the same.