Your journey from leaving your career in accounting to pursue your lifelong dream of becoming a writer was a bold leap into the unknown—a decision fueled by passion and the desire to live life on your own terms. As you embarked on this new chapter, you were buoyed by the belief that your years of saving, combined with the safety net provided by your family’s financial arrangements, would afford you the freedom to pursue your creative aspirations in Lebanon, your ancestral homeland.
With $20,000 carefully accumulated through tutoring and your accounting work by the age of 23, you felt financially secure enough to take this leap of faith. Little did you know that your plans would soon be derailed by the seismic shockwaves of Lebanon’s financial crisis. The collapse of the country’s banking system, described by the World Bank as akin to a Ponzi scheme, shattered the illusion of financial stability, plunging you into a maelstrom of uncertainty and upheaval.
Overnight, your savings vanished into the abyss of a broken financial infrastructure, leaving you grappling with the harsh reality of financial ruin. The once-reliable digits on your bank account screen became a stark reminder of the fragility of economic systems and the devastating consequences of their collapse.
Forced to confront the harsh truth that your dreams of a leisurely pursuit of writing were no longer financially viable, you found yourself thrust back into the workforce with no clear path forward. The job market in Lebanon, already battered by economic turmoil, offered little solace, prompting you to cast your gaze towards the US in search of greener pastures.
Yet, the transition back into the workforce proved to be an arduous uphill battle. The gaps in your employment history, a consequence of your hiatus to pursue writing, posed a formidable barrier to securing stable employment. Despite your best efforts to repackage your skills and experiences, the competitive landscape of the job market remained unforgiving, leaving you stranded in a sea of uncertainty.
Faced with the harsh realities of financial instability, you turned to the gig economy as a lifeline, cobbling together a patchwork of freelance gigs to make ends meet. The hustle and bustle of freelance work, while offering a semblance of autonomy, came with its own set of challenges. The relentless pursuit of new opportunities, coupled with the constant pressure to deliver results, exacted a heavy toll on your mental and emotional well-being.
As the years wore on, the toll of living paycheck to paycheck began to take its toll, leaving you exhausted and disillusioned. The dream of becoming a writer, once a beacon of hope and inspiration, now seemed like a distant mirage, fading into the recesses of memory.
Yet, amidst the despair and uncertainty, a glimmer of hope emerged—a beacon of resilience and determination to carve out a path to stability. Your decision to pursue a doctorate, as a means to access stable employment outside the confines of the corporate world, symbolizes a new chapter of resilience and determination.
Though the road ahead may be fraught with challenges, your unwavering resolve and indomitable spirit serve as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. As you embark on this new journey, may you find solace in the knowledge that every setback is but a stepping stone towards a brighter future, where your dreams of financial stability and creative fulfillment can finally converge.
