Staying Humble
I traveled to Ireland recently for a solo trip to many places I'd never visited before. I planned and navigated the travel on my own using public transportation to get around. There's no language barrier (at least most days), but it was still all new to me. As always, travel taught me several lessons that also relate to job searching.
It's scary trying something new, even if there are familiar signs around you. I fumbled a lot, even just trying to get through the turnstile at the train station. I was grateful for the "look right" or "look left" signs on the streets of some of the cities I visited, placed there for travelers from countries where we drive on the "other side" of the road. When you're usually comfortable in a setting or a situation, that new feeling of not knowing where you are or what you are doing can be unsettling. I remembered to stay humble, ask questions, even when they seemed silly, and not to be afraid of looking silly. Being a beginner gives you the gift of the beginner's mind where you are open to more possibilities. Embrace that! Growth is always the result.
Sometimes I made mistakes. They weren't ever huge or life-threatening, but they were always humbling. The older I get, the more I appreciate the opportunity to make mistakes because it shows I'm trying new things. And we always want to be trying new things. So, explore that opportunity that intrigues you but you don't know enough about. Learn a new skill. Take a class, even if you are the oldest one in it. Awkward is okay.
I didn't see or do everything I wanted. There's an overwhelming aspect to travel: so many recommendations, so many "must sees," so many enticing things to do. And the same can be true in a job search. I don't advise applying for every job just as I don't advise trying to fit in too much to a trip. Focus your search on jobs that are a good fit for your skills and experience and don't worry about the ones you miss applying for. Identify your values your first so you know which jobs are a good fit, and then proceed while also staying open to opportunities you didn't foresee.
