On the Surface
The first 45 years of my life were pretty standard:
– Went to school, studied hard, went to university, studied even harder.
– Graduated, got a good job, progressed up the career ladder.
– Bought a house, had a baby, got married, had another baby (in that order).
Usual stuff *.
That makes it sound kind of boring, but it was far from that. Interspersed in the career was plenty of travelling and having fun snowboarding, surfing and climbing amongst other physical pursuits. And I’ve been blessed to have met many wonderful people both inside and outside of work and had unforgettable experiences along the way. It all added up to four and a half decades of a very happy life overall.
Deeper
Everything was ticking along nicely, or so I thought. And then in February 2020, 3 weeks before Lockdown 1.0 in the UK, my marriage ended and suddenly, a chasm opened up in the road that I thought I was on.
Following the trauma of this, I embarked on what started as a quest to heal my broken heart, but which quickly turned into an expedition of knowledge-seeking and self-discovery, one which I am still and will continue to be on.
Throughout my life, I’d primarily been logically minded, favouring maths during my education, and this rational side of me kept me head-led in my work life, where I pursued a career in IT.
All in all, I loved my head-led life. It served me incredibly well, taking me on a colourful journey through all the rites of passage that have led me to where I am today. And it afforded me the ability to build a comfortable life for myself and my family, for which I am truly grateful.
During my journey of self-discovery though, I became more in touch with my heart which in turn ignited my creativity. I still love maths but now I equally love writing. And as I moved into a new phase in my life, it became time for my head to make space for my heart to lead the way, with my head following closely as loving guardian.
By the summer of 2023, after 26 rewarding and successful years in my corporate IT job, it was time for me to try a different flavour of life; a life led by the heart in partnership with the head. What this will look like I’m not altogether sure, but I know it will involve writing, being of service and continuing to learn about all things mind, body, spirit-related.
Thank You
Thank you for allowing me to share my story thus far with you. I look forward to sharing more when I’m further along my new path. In the meantime, may your life be blessed with joy, peace and vibrant health.
* Well, almost. I also came to the UK as a Vietnamese refugee at the age of four, which I wrote about in this post.
HANH TAT 