Man, 2017 was a bit of a whirlwind, especially on the career front. I remember it vividly because I’m a Pisces, right? And like a lot of folks, I’d sometimes peek at those horoscope things, especially when things felt a bit shaky or unclear. Around late 2016, going into 2017, I felt like I was standing at a crossroads. My current gig was just… fine. Not bad, not great, just coasting. And I knew deep down, I wanted more than ‘just fine’.
I distinctly recall stumbling upon some “Pisces career advice for 2017” online. It was one of those articles, you know, pop-up ads and all. The gist of it was pretty typical Pisces stuff: “trust your intuition,” “explore creative outlets,” “don’t be afraid to swim against the current.” There was also this bit about avoiding situations that drain your energy and seeking environments that foster growth, not just financially, but spiritually too. Sounded good on paper, but turning that into real-world action felt like a different beast altogether.
At that time, I was slogging through a job that paid the bills, but it didn’t ignite anything in me. I was in a role that involved a lot of repetitive tasks and not much room for fresh ideas. I felt trapped, honestly. My days were a blur of spreadsheets and meetings that felt pointless. I’d come home knackered, not physically, but mentally drained. So, when that horoscope piece talked about “draining environments,” it hit pretty close to home. I started thinking, “Okay, intuition, what’s it telling me?”
Taking the Plunge, Pisces Style
The first thing my intuition screamed was “get out!” But it wasn’t that simple, obviously. I had bills, responsibilities. So, I started small. The advice mentioned “creative outlets.” I used to dabble in writing, just for fun, but had completely dropped it. I decided to pick it up again. Not with any grand ambition, just as a way to express myself outside of work. I started a little blog, mostly just for myself, writing about things I cared about. It was a tiny step, but it felt good, like I was finally listening to a quiet part of myself.
Then came the “swimming against the current” part. My workplace had this unspoken rule: stick to your lane, don’t rock the boat. But there was this one project, a really dusty, outdated one, that I thought could be massively improved with a new approach. It was totally outside my usual tasks. Usually, I’d just grin and bear it, but that horoscope advice kept nagging at me. So, I put together a simple proposal – just a few bullet points – on how we could modernize it. I braced myself for rejection, or worse, being told to stay in my lane.
To my surprise, my manager, after a bit of hesitation, said, “Alright, give it a shot, but don’t let your other work slip.” Talk about a moment of shock! I grabbed that chance with both hands. I started dedicating extra time, sometimes staying late, to work on this pet project. It was tough, because I was learning new things, trying to figure out processes no one else cared about. I felt like I was doing two jobs at once.
The Twists and Turns of 2017
- Months 1-3: The Grind. I was burning the candle at both ends. My blog was a space to vent, to process the frustration and excitement. The creative outlet was definitely helping me manage the stress of pushing boundaries at work.
- Months 4-6: A Glimmer of Hope. The project started showing small wins. Other departments began noticing the progress. My initial ideas, which felt so radical, started making sense to people. It wasn’t smooth sailing; there were plenty of roadblocks and times I wanted to just give up and go back to my old routine.
- Months 7-9: Recognition and a New Path. The project eventually launched, and it was a success. A small one, but a success nonetheless. My manager actually pulled me aside and said, “That was all you. Good work.” That was huge. It shifted something. Suddenly, people saw me differently. I wasn’t just the ‘spreadsheet guy’ anymore.
- Months 10-12: The Leap. This is where the real “trust your intuition” bit came in. Another department, impressed with what I did, offered me a position. It was a step up, a totally different role, much more aligned with the kind of creative problem-solving I enjoyed. It felt like a risk, leaving the familiar, but my gut was screaming “YES.” I took it.
By the end of 2017, I was in a completely new role within the same company. It was challenging, exciting, and I felt engaged for the first time in years. Looking back at that old horoscope advice, it’s funny how it played out. I didn’t consciously follow every line, but the underlying sentiment – listen to yourself, push your own boundaries, don’t settle for less – really resonated. It wasn’t the horoscope that made these things happen, of course. It was me taking action. But sometimes, a little push, even from something as silly as a zodiac prediction, is all you need to start moving.
What I learned that year was that sometimes the best advice isn’t about telling you what to do, but about reminding you of what you already know deep down. For a Pisces like me, it was all about finally giving myself permission to listen to that gut feeling and then actually doing something about it, even if it meant a lot of extra work and a bit of uncertainty. It was one of the toughest, but most rewarding, years of my career, all thanks to deciding not to miss out on what my own inner compass was trying to tell me. That’s the real advice right there.
