Class 10

I feel as though every day I walk into this class, I leave more and more level headed about my future. If you were to ask me a month ago my plans for the future I would be scared. But after these past few weeks, I have felt more prepared than ever to start discovering my career path. I especially found this class session beneficial as I found out my Ikigai which ultimately helped me figure out more specific careers that will lead to success.

One of the biggest takeaways from this class session was learning to reflect on my own strengths. I’ve always had an interest in social media, fashion, and business, but I never really sat down and listed out what I’m actually good at. I realized that my strengths lie in:

• Social media engagement and content strategy

• Fashion branding and aesthetic design

• Website and e-commerce design

• Photography and creative direction

• Sales and people skills

Seeing these skills laid out made me realize that I’m not just interested in these things—I’m actually capable of turning them into a career.

What Do I Actually Love Doing?

Beyond skills, this class made me think about what I love doing—like, what would I do even if I wasn’t getting paid? Turns out, a lot of what I’m passionate about aligns with my strengths:

• Designing clothes and fashion styling

• Creating visually appealing content

• Exploring new business ideas and entrepreneurship

• Yoga, working out, and wellness

• Golf and social activities (because yes, networking is a thing!)

Aligning Passion With What the World Needs

Another cool part of this class was realizing that work isn’t just about what I want—it’s also about what the world needs. And surprisingly, a lot of my passions fit into solving real-world problems:

• Sustainable and ethical fashion

• Empowering young entrepreneurs

• Better sleep & wellness education

• Accessibility to stylish and functional fashion

• Digital branding for small businesses

It turns out, if I can find a way to align what I love with what people actually need, I can build a career that feels fulfilling and meaningful.

Making It All Make Money

Let’s be real—passion is great, but I also want to get paid. This class helped me brainstorm realistic ways to turn my interests into a paycheck:

• Running a fashion brand or boutique

• Social media marketing and brand consulting

• Website and e-commerce design

• Freelance graphic design and photography

• Event planning and hospitality experiences

The Bigger Picture: Passion, Mission, Profession, and Vocation

Looking at all of this together helped me understand my own version of "Ikigai"—the Japanese concept of finding purpose by blending passion, mission, profession, and vocation. For me, that means:

• Passion: Fashion design & branding, content creation, creative direction, wellness, entrepreneurship

• Mission: Promoting sustainability, empowering young creatives, helping people feel confident through style & self-care, making wellness accessible, creating inspiring content

• Profession: Fashion business owner, social media strategist, brand consultant, website designer, photographer, event planner

• Vocation: Running a sustainable brand, helping startups grow online, offering wellness coaching, building a digital platform, creating an event business

Moving Forward: What’s Next For Me

One of the biggest takeaways from this class is that I don’t have to have it all figured out right now—I just need to start somewhere. According to an article from Harvard Business Review, successful career planning isn’t about finding one perfect job but about building transferable skills that can grow with you. The more adaptable you are, the more opportunities open up. That means I’m focusing on honing my digital marketing skills, growing my design portfolio, and networking with people in the industry.

So yeah, this class was way more than just career tips—it actually helped me define what I want and how I can get there. Now, the real work begins!

Link to outside source:

https://www.facebook.com/HBR/posts/the-first-decade-of-your-career-is-a-great-time-to-take-risks-build-transferable/915494010445794/?