The One About Reassessing Work
We’ve all seen those neat life cycle charts, right? You’re born, you grow, you have babies, you die. That’s how “they” like to simplify life. But in that cycle, “they” left out a crucial piece, one that consumes at least eight hours a day, from your twenties through your early sixties: *work.*
Where’s the stage that says, *“you choose a career before you even understand yourself”*? Or the stage of, *“you realize you work doing something you never expected”*? What about, *“you take the job just to pay rent”*? Or the latest one I’ve heard: *“you want to find a new job because you’re unfulfilled and unsatisfied… and yet you still have to pay rent.”*
This applies to everyone, but as women, we’ve been trained to focus on the “personal” stages of life rather than the ones missing from those charts, *work*. That’s what this episode is about. No matter where you are right now in your career or in your personal life, it’s always healthy to stop, feel, think, and reflect on the role work plays in the bigger picture that’s life.
As I shared in another episode, women are constant seekers. For me, work has always been a place to search for answers about my ambition, purpose, and identity. More than just a paycheck, it’s been a crucial space for understanding who I am. And I know I’m not alone. In 2025, many women I talk to share this exact feeling—that work isn’t just “work,” it’s a mirror that reflects pieces of ourselves.
That’s why I want to openly unfold this topic today. Because reassessing work isn’t only about jobs or careers. It’s about who we are, what we value, and how we want life and work to fit together.
Let me share something that stuck with me. I was listening to an episode of **Lenny’s Podcast** with Farhan Thawar, where he talks about a framework he developed: basically, a list of the things you truly care about when choosing a job. It was eye-opening. A reminder that work is only sustainable when it’s aligned with who you are, when you are true to yourself.
Life is always a balancing act between what we have, what we need, and what we want. And since work eats up over 2,000 hours of our year, we owe it to ourselves to invest some time in reflecting on it, keeping that space as aligned and authentic as we can.
Guests
You may also like
The One About Understanding “Community”
The One About Our Silent Companion: Guilt
The One About Knowing Better, Wanting Different
The One About Reassessing Work
