💻 Career Compass #11
Diving into the paths of other modern millennial women.
Welcome back to Career Compass on The Navigation: a monthly series exploring other women’s musings, meanderings and methods for navigating life, with a focus on their career paths. Through short interviews with millennial women, we’re exploring linear and non-linear career paths, how they approach work to make it work for them, and the blurred lines between hobbies and hustles.
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Welcome back to another issue of Career Compass - the last for 2024, but due to be back with another in January! I hope the interviews through this year have given you ample ideas for what it can mean to live differently, to strive for what matters to you, both in line with conventional expectations, and far beyond.
And this month is no different! When I shared a bit about this column in a
community thread back in May, reached out with:“A fellow millennial here, whose career is a non-career actually! Having chosen to focus on traveling, financial freedom and then building family. If you're interested in this angle, do reach out!”
Interested? Of course I was! And so here we are, somehow at the December issue, which is full of interesting musings, and a lot of meanderings, from our latest guest.
Rachel’s Substack,
, speaks to those seeking a life full of intention, mindfulness, and connection, as she shares her experiences of trying to build her own life in this way too. Having rejected the corporate career ladder, despite at one time being familiarly embroiled in it, Rachel pursued her passions, in more ways than one, and has carved out a life that feels rich in many ways.Here Rachel shares how she has found a home in Germany - a long way from her native Malaysia - and the practical steps she has taken, and continues to take, to live the life that feels true to her.
Ready to dive in?
Thank you Rachel for being a guest on The Navigation!
Could we start off with you sharing some musings on conscious and creative living?
What does that mean to you, as someone who has chosen, rather than a traditional career path, to focus on travelling, financial freedom, and now raising a family too?
It took years of learning, unlearning, and reflection to live consciously and creatively - and I am still figuring it out.
Initially, I was focused on accumulating wealth via climbing the career ladder and then as an independent consultant. Along the way I lost sight of what mattered most - relationships, family, friends, and my core values. After a series of fortunate and unfortunate events, I finally took a 100 days sabbatical to reflect on what I truly wanted.
Bumping along on the lower bunk of the Trans-Siberian train from China to Mongolia, it dawned on me what truly mattered in life. More than wealth, I realised, I wanted freedom - freedom to align my life with my values, passions, and the present moment.
So I pursued financial freedom, working to create self-sufficiency that would allow me to follow my heart. Travel became a way of reconnecting - with myself, with others, and with the present. I continued to explore extensively, drawn to the sense of awe and renewal it brought, but it was during a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat that I unlocked the essence of conscious living: living fully in the now, which is the key to happiness.
Parenthood came as a surprise, and with it, a new dimension to conscious living. Now, as a parent, it’s no longer just about my own journey. It’s about modeling these values for my children—showing them the importance of presence, alignment, and embracing life with intention.
Wow - so much to unpack there! I think aspiring for that sense of freedom is something many may resonate with; but often feeling as though it cannot be achieved. It’s interesting to hear that you continue to pursue this sense now, not just for yourself, but to model for your children too.
Could you tell us more about your meanderings from Malaysia, to finding a home, currently, in Germany?
How does this journey tie in with your experiences of work?
If we were to draw a line of my meanderings from Malaysia to Germany, it'll looked like tangled wool.
I met “the one” on a minibus in Laos during one of my travels. A few more twists and knots later, I found myself settling in Germany with him, and from there the line straightened to building a home and a family together.
Having a family was a dream I once considered the hardest to achieve among my seemingly contradictory life goals. And yet, here I am—working part-time in tech, raising my kids, and carving out space for writing on the side.
One key lesson I’ve learned is this: set your intentions, live in alignment with your values, and trust life to unfold in its own way.
In terms of work, I feel like I’ve come full circle. While my pursuit of financial independence is still ongoing, working part-time in Germany — along with the Covid-driven shift toward remote work — has allowed me to maintain the freedom to prioritise my family, creativity, and personal growth, while continuing to develop professionally.
And at the heart of it all, none of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of my husband and his family.
It sounds like you’ve been on quite the journey! But I love hearing positive stories that came out of the pandemic/post-pandemic landscape; we felt such a lack of freedom at one time, being told to stay at home, but actually now that norm, albeit in a new way, allows us more freedom in other areas…
In terms of living in alignment with our values, living mindfully and consciously is something many of us struggle with - especially as we get caught up in the humdrum and demands of corporate life.
For anyone looking to act, think, be still, with more deliberate intention, what methods can you share to help with this?
You’re absolutely right—living mindfully and consciously in any kind of daily life will be difficult. This is the nature of life. The nature of being human.
For me, it’s not the demands of corporate life, as I decided long ago that climbing the career ladder wasn’t for me. Instead, it’s the demands of raising children while balancing everything else that’s important—relationships, friendships, health and fitness, writing, and me-time.
I’m still a student of conscious living, but I’ve learned a few key practices that help me act, think, and be more intentional:
Take time out. Give yourself permission to pause. This could mean taking a walk in nature or through your urban surroundings—anything that helps you to reconnect with yourself and your environment. If you can, turn it into an “awe walk” by noticing the small wonders of the world around you. Or treat yourself to an artist’s date — do something that truly makes your heart sing.
Meditate. Meditation is one of the simplest yet most profound ways to cultivate mindfulness. I’ve spoken often about its benefits, though I still struggle to make it a consistent practice. Even so, I’ve found that every attempt counts. Every moment of stillness, every breath-focused pause, brings me one step closer to the present moment — to the now.
Journal. Writing is a powerful tool for mindfulness. Even if you think you’re not a “writer,” let your thoughts flow in a stream of consciousness. Write for your present self. Write for your future self. Journaling helps you process your thoughts, reflect, and create a conversation with yourself.
Set intentional dates. Carve out time specifically for your self and the people who matter most. I hold bi-weekly-ish self-reviews to reflect on my work and progress. Around mid-year, as my birthday approaches, and at year’s end, I take time for deeper reflection and alignment. My husband and I have monthly relationship check-ins, and I take one-on-one dates with my children to connect with each of them fully.
These practices are just the beginning, and I’m constantly exploring new ways to cultivate mindful, conscious living. If you’re on this journey too, come join me at Conscious Living as we discover together what it means to live with intention and a deeper connection to the world.
Thank you for sharing that, Rachel. A lovely list to help readers figure out what works for them.
And finally, do you have any Cultural Compass style recommendations? Anything you’ve read/watched/listened to lately that you’d like to recommend for readers?
Recently, I’ve been grappling with a sense of disconnection in the world, and I found Tara Brach’s talk, The Sacred Work of Bridging Divides, both powerful and soothing.
The talk delves into the causes of divides and explores paths to healing through wise contemplation, courageous engagement, and the power of imagination. It also offers reflective practices to help us reconnect with our shared belonging and interconnectedness.
I highly recommend it, especially in these times when bridging divides feels more vital than ever—not only for our relationships with others but for our own hearts and spirits.
What a wonderful way to round off, thank you for the recommendation, and for sharing your experiences with us Rachel! 🌏
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