Man, 2021. What a ride, huh? I remember seeing that headline, “Pisces career horoscope 2021: Get ready to thrive!” and honestly, my first thought was, “Yeah, right. Another year, another horoscope trying to tell me things.” But deep down, being a Pisces myself, a part of me always kinda wants to believe that stuff, you know? Especially when it sounds so positive. So, I kinda tucked that little thought away, like a small spark, not really expecting much but holding onto a tiny bit of hope.
I kicked off 2021 feeling a bit… murky. That classic Pisces indecision was hitting hard. My job at the time wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t exactly setting my world on fire either. I was just kinda drifting, doing the work, collecting the paycheck, but there was this nagging feeling, this itch to do something more, something different. I felt stuck, like I was wading through thick mud. The daily grind felt heavier than usual, and I was spending way too much time staring at the ceiling at night, wondering what I was even doing with my life. It was a proper rut, I tell ya, the kind that makes you question everything.
Then, around March, something shifted. It wasn’t a sudden earthquake, more like a slow creak. A friend, who knew I was feeling a bit down in the dumps about my career, mentioned this online course she was taking. It was totally outside my comfort zone, a skill I’d always thought was too complicated for me. My initial reaction was to dismiss it, of course. “No way, I’m too busy, too tired, too X, Y, Z.” But that “thrive” headline kinda popped back into my head. “What if?” I thought. What if this was the ‘getting ready’ part?
So, I bit the bullet. I signed up for that damn course. And let me tell you, it was a beast. I was working my regular job all day, then coming home, scarfing down some dinner, and diving into hours of lessons and practice. My eyes were burning, my brain felt like scrambled eggs half the time. There were nights I wanted to throw my laptop across the room and just give up. I distinctly remember one evening, banging my head against the keyboard, utterly frustrated because I couldn’t grasp a concept. I questioned my sanity, my decision, everything. What was I thinking? This wasn’t thriving, this was torture!
But then, there were these small victories. A line of code that finally worked. A design element that clicked into place. Those little moments of understanding, they felt like tiny bursts of sunshine. And slowly, very slowly, I started to actually enjoy the process. It wasn’t just about learning a new skill anymore; it was about proving something to myself, about breaking out of that lazy, comfortable shell I’d built. I started connecting with other people in the course, sharing tips, helping each other out. That community aspect, that camaraderie, was something I hadn’t even considered when I signed up. It made the whole thing less isolating.
By the summer, I was actually getting pretty decent. I started building little side projects, just for fun, just to apply what I was learning. And you know what? People noticed. Not at my main job, mind you, but friends, acquaintances. I even got a couple of small freelance gigs, just small stuff, a few hundred bucks here and there. But man, that felt good. Earning money from something I’d taught myself, something I was actually passionate about? That was a taste of “thriving” I hadn’t had in a long time.
The biggest turn came towards the end of the year. An opportunity popped up, completely out of the blue. A startup was looking for someone with exactly the new skills I had been diligently grinding away at. I saw the job posting, and my heart just started pounding. It felt like a massive leap. Leaving the stability of my current job? That was scary. But that “thrive” mantra kept echoing in my head. This was it. This was the moment to actually make the jump, to embrace the change.
I went for it. I polished up my resume, showcased my little side projects, and somehow, I landed the interview. It was intense. I felt like I was fumbling through some answers, but I also felt a genuine excitement that I hadn’t felt in years. And then, they offered me the job. Not just a job, but a role where I could actually use these new skills, be part of something growing, something exciting. And the pay was a significant step up too!
Walking away from my old job, I felt a mix of relief and a healthy dose of fear. But mostly, it was excitement. Like a dam had broken, and I was finally moving forward instead of just floating. That “thrive” headline? It wasn’t about a magic wand or things just happening to me. It was about taking those small, uncomfortable steps, pushing myself, and being ready when the real opportunities showed up. It wasn’t easy, there was a lot of struggle, a lot of late nights, and a lot of self-doubt. But looking back at 2021, I can honestly say I didn’t just survive; I really did get ready to thrive, and then I took the leap. It was all about doing the work to make that prediction a reality for myself.
