Meg has never had a “dream job” and says mundane works brings her financial security, peace, and flexibility.<\/p>\n
I never planned any of it.<\/p>\n
And while I’ve always been creative, at 26 I still struggle to identify a job that fully aligns with my talents.<\/p>\n
Underpinning this lack of direction is the feeling I need a “real job” to be taken seriously, as if working in retail or fast food doesn’t qualify when you’re an adult.<\/p>\n
The idea I should have a “dream job” can feel suffocating when what I simply want is a job where I can show up, do my work, and get paid to enjoy my life.<\/p>\n
Watching my mum shaped my beliefs around work<\/p>\n
Vanessa Mbeve has never had a dream job. (Supplied: Louise Blake)<\/p>\n
Moving frequently throughout my childhood made opportunities and possibilities in life feel endless and within reach.<\/p>\n
Every time we moved, it felt like starting over: new place, new people, new everything.<\/p>\n
Impermanence was a constant in my life, and it shaped the way I see the world.<\/p>\n
Starting over felt easy.<\/p>\n
My childhood was the opposite to my mother’s. She grew up with permanence and lived a more linear path.<\/p>\n
She grew up in Zimbabwe, finished high school, went to college, dreamed of becoming a nurse, marrying and having a family \u2014 and she did.<\/p>\n
She was on a steady path with clear, defined goals and outcomes<\/p>\n
But then she was forced to leave everything she knew behind.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe faced sanctions, leading to hyperinflation, the devaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar, and the collapse of essential services such as banks, electricity, and water.<\/p>\n
Our saving grace was her job as a nurse, which brought us to Australia.<\/p>\n
For me as a child, it showed me a job is merely a tool \u2014 a means to an end. It only provides the illusion of stability, which in reality is built on much more than just work.<\/p>\n
I see true stability as when housing, food, health care, and finances function harmoniously.<\/p>\n
When one falls, so begins a gradual decline in living standards and overall stability.<\/p>\n
The ‘unemployed’ label<\/p>\n
Moving a lot as a child shaped Vanessa’s idea of stability. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
There are moments I find it humiliating to tell someone I am unemployed.<\/p>\n
The internalised belief that not having a job equals being a “loser” can be hard to shake.<\/p>\n
And knowing that I was almost a step closer to getting my life together, like finally moving out of home and buying a car, only for my luck to run out, means it hurts that bit more.<\/p>\n
This all ultimately leads to a desperate attempt to apply for jobs I don’t even really want.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the jobs I’ve had in the past, these roles came about because I didn’t allow myself the flexibility to explore more aligned opportunities.<\/p>\n
Instead, I rushed into roles and often made concessions that ultimately meant they didn’t work for me.<\/p>\n
I’ve had times when I’ve struggled to set boundaries between work and my personal life.<\/p>\n
I used to make workplace grievances my problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forgot sometimes that for me, a job was simply a means to an end.<\/p>\n
What I truly needed, and still do now, is a secure contract, livable income, and a collaborative team environment.<\/p>\n
Bonus points for a creative role that involves customer service.<\/p>\n
Life satisfaction over job satisfaction<\/p>\n
My satisfaction and achievements come from outside my job.<\/p>\n