Introduction
As human beings, we have a longing to become part of something bigger than ourselves – to recognize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts – and to direct our combined efforts towards something great. It’s in our DNA to work, collaborate, and experience community through a common effort. However, it feels like recently, this natural instinct of ours is upended into lives that are not natural for us. The fallacy that our careers are the most fulfilling, significant part of our lives has driven us away from community and into intense individualism. It feels as though we lose our life to these “careers” everyone tells us we need to have, and we forget that humans were not created to sit at a desk job from the time they’re 22 until they retire. What if we encouraged humans, instead, to pursue their passions, take risks, explore. What if we recognized the impermanence of our existence, and instead of spending the better part of forty years chasing credentials and money, we spent our lives enjoying what life is meant to be – fun, messy, confusing, exciting, and scary, all at once.
Force to “create” your dream job
The undying effort of careerism has its humble beginnings very early on in our lives. It begins with the seemingly innocent question “what do you want to be when you grow up” that is postulated from the early age of five. In Kindergarten class we’re asked what our “dream job” is, without even knowing what lies ahead of us. For me, it was a constant cycle of change. During the ages, I’ve learned to let go of the grasp of careerism and instead explore my interests, passions, and hobbies unabashedly, without necessarily fueling an end goal as careerism suggests. But it didn’t come easy.
If you had asked me three years ago where I’d be in five years, I would’ve told you with absolute confidence I’d be living in Washington, DC, working as a public servant in the government sector, and hopefully, maybe (!) I’d be readily on my way to getting married. Now, fast forward, I’m living in Berlin, working multiple jobs in the creative field of fashion and art, and I’m absolutely content with the fact that I have no idea what my life may look in two months, let alone a year. If you had told me even 6 months ago that I’d be where I am now, I wouldn’t have believed it. How did this all happen so quickly?
What is necessary at the work?
I started working at Kulturschöpfer as a Community Curator back in January, 2022. I had found the opportunity to intern here on a Glassdoor advertisement and I couldn’t believe what they were promising to offer. A space for creativity and exploration? A chance to work at a non-profit with a focus on community building, art, and business? It sounded surreal in contrast to the other positions I had applied to as an academic researcher. I distinctly remember in the interview one of the first questions that director Christopher asked was “tell me your story. What are your passions and interests?” I had never been asked a question like that in an interview – I could sense immediately that the people at Kulturschöpfer prioritized people over profit. They wanted to know my story? I was shocked. Over the course of the interview I felt like I got to share parts of myself with these two strangers sitting in front of me that I don’t normally even tell my friends or family. We talked about our longing to be creative, our desire to return to our inner child, and how we’d lost our sense of creativity a long time ago in exchange for career aspirations.
Importance of community and personality
Over the course of my time working at Kulturschöpfer, I became accustomed to introducing myself as a human first, worker second. My story was something I became proud of – I’d told my peers that I wanted to find a way out of the so-called “rat race,” something I had discovered early on was exploitative and unfulfilling. I was not built to sit at a desk, forty hours a week, 52 weeks a year, for forty years. I had no idea how I would make it work since my degree in Middle East studies made it seem like the only possibilities open to me were those in research and government. However, I began working at Kulturschöpfer and saw that so many people were in similar situations, with similar desires. Many of the individuals at KS were breaking out of careers they weren’t passionate about, or discovering new interests in a myriad of ways. We were all very open with each other about the fact that life is for exploration – it’s okay to not know what we’re doing or where we’re going. Each individual I came into contact with showed me such earnest authenticity and vulnerability; it taught me a lot about being okay with who I am. There’s no need to put on this “mask” when I come to the office, just to take it off as soon as I leave the building for the day. Director Christopher always took time to emphasize the point “people over projects”. He encouraged us to follow new pursuits, and placed a lot of faith in us interns and supported our new endeavors and ideas. For the first time, I felt like a respected member of a community, rather than a notch on the totem-pole that is the corporate landscape.
Engage, Create and Inspire
It felt like at Kulturschöpfer, we were all explorers, on the quest for happiness, community, and belonging. This space encouraged me to find outlets for my interests in fashion and art. My colleagues placed a great deal of faith in me, which helped me to grow my confidence and reach to new heights. I began reaching out to creatives in Berlin who were looking for assistance on photoshoots with styling, make-up, and set-up. Even though I had no experience, I had this newfound sense of confidence that I could do whatever it is I wanted. I felt like I could really “fake it ‘till I make it.” Six months ago, I would never have associated myself with the trait “creative,” but as I’ve been told so many times at Kulturschöpfer, we are all creative! It is a core part of our humanity, and something we must give thanks to. And here I am now, working alongside other creatives at a fashion magazine, assisting a designer, and trying out my skills in an entirely new industry. In a time of my life when certainty feels intangible and the future can be scary, I have finally found peace in the unknown, and excitement at the world to come.
Hanna