I suppose I should be excited about my travel plans and starting a new phase of my life, but my mind is set on cutting off things that have been part of my life until now.
The next year of my life will be intensely gruelling. For what is hopefully a better future, I am prepared not to see my friends and family, to work till midnight every day during my course. That is what I am told could be life as an MBA student in a top school, *if* my groupmates are difficult to work with. Apparently we are put together purposely to clash, so we get used to multi-cultural issues and are prepared for a more global role.
Other things will also have to make way. To cut down on emails, which have become a chore to read since I get hundreds every day, I am unsubscribing from mailing lists and warning people I will not be contributing so frequently. If unsubscribing doesn’t work I will start marking emails as spam. I won’t answer queries from my website asking for web design or hacking iPhones. Go look somewhere else – I’m no technician.
And to PR agencies who’ve never bothered striking up a meaningful relationship with me, yet send me generic press releases expecting me to blog about their client’s product launch – FORGET IT. If you treat us like a dime a dozen, we won’t give you even two cents’ worth.
To conserve my physical energy, I have turned down three invitations in a row and backed out of other social commitments. I’ll do what is best for my health and won’t tire myself out. And I don’t owe anyone a reason why I cannot make it.
I get random calls on my iPhone. I won’t return them if the number’s unrecognised. Unfortunately the iPhone doesn’t recognise numbers if the caller ID has a +65 in front of it while my Address Book doesn’t have it, or vice-versa. It’s too much trouble to go to my laptop, key in the numbers and search through my Address Book to see if it’s a friend. If it’s really important the person will call me again. More often than not, it’s to make me sign up for another credit card, and I’m not going to be earning money for another year, so scram.
I won’t meet up with people who suddenly tell me they’re in town and want to meet in an hour’s time. They can do something else. I will continue doing whatever I was planning to do. This has happened 3 times in the past few days as well. Sorry guys, give me advance notice next time.
And my new principle is: If I’m treated just an afterthought for anything, I will cut off ties and move on to something new. Following advice given by a good guy friend, VL: If you’re trying too hard, it probably isn’t working out. There are many other people and opportunities out there. If you’re not valued, or it’s not shown until it’s too late, then move to another (bigger) pond.