"Why I left my job at google [or HP, for me]"

It was that moment that I realized I was truly free to do whatever I wanted in this world and it was completely up to me to make it happen. It was my life, and I had to stop caring what people thought about it. If I wanted to bake, I should. If I wanted to write, I should. If I wanted to start a company, I should. If I wanted to do nothing, I should. If I wanted to f--- up for once, I should.

...

The truth is that going off the rails into the complete unknown is terrifying and it’s lonely  —  some days I’m so paralyzed with fear about everything I can hardly do anything, but the other truth is a really important and big one: For the first time in my life, my identity is not 100% tied to my accomplishments, I care less about what people think of me, and I spend more time on work that feels right. I am improving my ability to listen to my inner voice and not judge what it wants. I can question myself and answer truthfully.

For me, the answers to those questions led me to make some big changes in my work life, like giving up the job, exploring projects I used to think weren’t worthy enough of my time (baking) and building a start up that is risky and deeply personal (Mend).

...

Though I still only have vague dreams about the destination, I’m no longer constantly looking for the exit, and that’s how I know I’m on the right road. The caveat here is that studying hard my whole life and saving for almost 5 years afforded me the opportunity to have this time completely off payroll, but I think that everyone has the right and responsibility to go to Joshua Tree, metaphorically speaking. Everyone can dial everything back; the hard part is listening to what you have to say and doing something about it.

Read more: https://medium.com/this-happened-to-me/why-i-left-google-c02f1ff471c6#ixzz3J4asSoqO

What has been driving me? Why do I do what I do? Because it had felt to be the right logical thing to do... why so much conflict the past years in the role decisions? Because on one hand being "successful" meant doing something I didn't quite fancy or imagine myself enjoying while on the other hand, I felt like I had been stagnant and unaccomplished by doing what I felt like I wanted to do. But in any case, I did take that product team role and am doing some creating! :) It's a start. I'm not successful in terms of position or salary, but for now I'm happy.

Positive psychology

Writing 3 things you are thankful for each day for 21 days trains your brain to find the positive rather than negative.

Challenge accepted!

Got this idea from Shawn Anchor in his TED talks the happy secret to better work.

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How Can I Pray more this 2014?

Taken from: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/

How Can I Pray?

A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and to discern his direction for us. Try this version of St. Ignatius’s prayer.
1. Become aware of God’s presence. Look back on the events of the day in the company of the Holy Spirit. The day may seem confusing to you—a blur, a jumble, a muddle. Ask God to bring clarity and understanding.
2. Review the day with gratitude. Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Focus on the day’s gifts. Look at the work you did, the people you interacted with. What did you receive from these people? What did you give them? Pay attention to small things—the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small pleasures. God is in the details.
3. Pay attention to your emotions. One of St. Ignatius’s great insights was that we detect the presence of the Spirit of God in the movements of our emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom? Elation? Resentment? Compassion? Anger? Confidence? What is God saying through these feelings?
God will most likely show you some ways that you fell short. Make note of these sins and faults. But look deeply for other implications. Does a feeling of frustration perhaps mean that God wants you consider a new direction in some area of your work? Are you concerned about a friend? Perhaps you should reach out to her in some way.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that God thinks is particularly important. It may involve a feeling—positive or negative. It may be a significant encounter with another person or a vivid moment of pleasure or peace. Or it may be something that seems rather insignificant. Look at it. Pray about it. Allow the prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart—whether intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude.
5. Look toward tomorrow. Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask him for help and understanding. Pray for hope.
St. Ignatius encouraged people to talk to Jesus like a friend. End the Daily Examen with a conversation with Jesus. Ask forgiveness for your sins. Ask for his protection and help. Ask for his wisdom about the questions you have and the problems you face. Do all this in the spirit of gratitude. Your life is a gift, and it is adorned with gifts from God. End the Daily Examen with the Our Father.
- See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/#sthash.FI3RS5i2.dpuf