Tag: PhD

2014 is the fourth year into my PhD so ideally I should submit my thesis as soon as possible. This is both an exciting but also a very challenging year for me. I am looking forward to finishing my PhD but this then raises the question of what lies next???

I have been very stressed because of this – the idea of not knowing what is next after PhD. I am constantly overwhelmed by uncertainties: Am I going to get a job? Will I still be able to live in Australia? Where will my life be? Am I going to be okay?

Sometimes these questions drowned me, consumed me, making me feel suffocated. These doubts made me foggy and lead to a chain of negativity. I became fixated and focused only on the problems and negatives. I tend to forget that the future is out of my control. I mean I will still work hard towards my goal but I also have to trust that whatever happens is for the better of me.

Letting go of that control is liberating!

If you are reading this and going through the same stress, what I can advice are:

1) Let go of the questions/stress/doubts.
2) Settle one problem at a time. Don’t get bombarded and got consumed.
3) Trust.

Like the photo, I can’t see what it’s on the other side of the bridge. I guess I have 2 choices: 1) being too intimidated and stop walking but I am always going to wonder what it could be like. 2) Keep marching on and I will find out and deal with it then.

When I am stressed like this I find that knowing and trusting God is comforting. Many things that happen in life are out of our control. I trust God that whatever happens (be it what I hope for or not) is for the better of me.

‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ – Matthew 6:34

I hope this article can be a blessing to you in some ways 🙂