Dear Self,
Hi.
Happy Fourth of July.
I’ve been busy these past few weeks—truly busy.
I’ve been so caught up in work, responsibilities, and trying to keep everything afloat that I barely had the chance to pause, reflect, or even write here.
But I’m here now.
Lately, I’ve been exploring new paths—opening myself to another venture, another career, another opportunity.
I need another paycheck.
Not only to help Ma, Pa, and my sisters, but also to finance the dream I’ve been quietly building for years: my writing.
So while I’m juggling writing, editing, and my full-time job, I’ve also begun a new journey in the insurance industry as a financial advisor.
Truthfully, I probably wouldn’t have explored another career if one paycheck had been enough.
But life has a way of leading us where we need to be.
I’m not complaining.
Instead, I’m choosing to welcome this opportunity—to help people secure their futures while building my own.
I believe I was brought here for a reason.
Perhaps this season is meant to teach me empathy. To remind me not to measure success by money alone. To understand why I wanted to work in healthcare in the first place: because I wanted to serve people.
Maybe it’s also preparing me with skills I’ll need for the life I’m still growing into.
For now, all I know is that every step I take is leading me closer to the path meant for me.
Maybe this isn’t the destination.
Maybe this is the preparation.
You know what surprised me the most?
Becoming a financial advisor reminded me of ikigai—the Japanese idea of having a reason for being.
It made me ask myself the same questions all over again.
Why do I keep writing after long workdays?
Why do I keep showing up for stories when no one is asking me to?
The answers haven’t changed.
Because writing is what I love.
It’s one of the few things that feels natural to me.
Because stories matter.
Because people will always need art that reminds them they aren’t alone.
And because every word I write is another way of healing the child I used to be.
So I took this moonshot.
Not because it was easy.
Not because it was certain.
But because growth rarely begins inside our comfort zones.
I don’t know exactly where this road will lead.
But I trust that one day, every detour, every risk, every lesson, and every late night will make sense.
So, dear self…
Trust me.
One day, you’ll look back at this season with gratitude.
You’ll understand why we had to begin here.
With all my love,
Joy Clarice