The first creative act I did right after my resignation is was to pen down this poem. Sharing the snapshot😇

Beyond the perfect!

Generalist

Beyond the perfect!- Grapevine

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

Sharing a note from the day I resigned. Well, alot happened from then and I am just grateful for how things have turned out. 

Also, happy festives guys🥳🥳

Just Grateful 😇

*Long post alert but I hope it will be worth it*


In a world of endless hustle, where even weekends are consumed by the grind, I found myself gifted with a rare treasure: a four-day respite from the relentless pace of modern life. It began with a stroke of fortune - a national holiday on Thursday - which I boldly extended by taking Friday off work. Suddenly, I was looking at four consecutive days of freedom, a prospect both exhilarating and slightly daunting in its unfamiliarity.

As Wednesday evening arrived, I made a decision that felt almost rebellious in its simplicity: I would truly disconnect. I shut down my laptop, silencing the siren call of work emails, LeetCode challenges, and the ever-present urge to stay ahead in the tech race.

What unfolded over the next four days was a rediscovery of life's simple pleasures. Mornings weren't rushed affairs of hasty coffees and commutes, but leisurely awakenings filled with the aroma of home-cooked breakfasts and unhurried conversations with family. We ventured out for shopping excursions that weren't about efficiency, but about the joy of wandering and spending time together.

One day was devoted entirely to our small garden. As I tended to the plants, hands deep in the soil, I felt a connection to something greater than career aspirations or technological advancements. The rhythm of nature spoke of a different kind of growth, one measured in seasons rather than sprints or quarterly reviews.

Evenings became a canvas for relaxation. We lost ourselves in movies and TV dramas, allowing stories to unfold without the nagging guilt of 'wasted time'. For once, leisure wasn't a luxury to be squeezed between productive tasks - it was the main event.

Throughout these days, I felt a transformation taking place. The constant background hum of anxiety about falling behind began to fade, replaced by a sense of peace I had almost forgotten existed. I rediscovered parts of myself long buried under the demands of our always-on culture.

As Sunday evening approached, marking the end of this blissful interlude, I found myself torn. A part of me longed to remain in this state of carefree contentment indefinitely. The genuine happiness I had experienced - unencumbered by the need to achieve or improve - was a stark reminder of what we often sacrifice in our relentless pursuit of success.

Now, as I prepare to re-enter the fray of daily life, I carry with me the memory of these four precious days. They serve as a gentle reminder that sometimes, the most revolutionary act is to step back, breathe, and remember that life is about more than just the climb. In a world that demands we constantly push forward, there's profound value in occasionally standing still, in choosing presence over productivity.

This long weekend taught me that true wealth isn't measured in lines of code mastered or projects completed, but in moments of genuine connection and contentment. And while I know I can't live every day in such a carefree manner, I'm determined to carry a piece of this peace with me, a reminder to seek balance in a world that often forgets its importance.

Unplugged and Unbound: Four Days of Rebellion Against the Grind

Data engineer

Welcome to IT Company Discussion's Private Community

I joined TCS 3yrs ago and since then I couldn't switch. I am planning since last year March but actually not able to work on it. Even I couldn't apply actively. Currently I am involved in a role which has nothing to do with development and I feel bit less confident. So I want to know why it is so hard to leave? Does everyone feel same? Is this ecosystem somewhat responsible for this?

Why is it so hard to leave first company?

Software Engineer

To the Stars we fall
To the Stars we rise

For Every hope
For Every grief
There was a shine
Far beyond everything

For Every Belief
For Every Rejection
There was a creation
Far beyond everything

For every part of you
There was a time
Time of you being born
Time of you smiling 
Time of you crying

A universe resides inside you
For you are depths of everything.

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

“When you’re young, you believe that there will be many people with whom you’ll connect with deeply. Later in life, you come to realize that it only happens a few times. A few moments, frozen in genuine beauty, where you look at someone and you know, from a place deep within yourself, that they are going to mean something to you, that they are rare.

When it comes to this kind of connection, it’s important to understand that energy cannot be created or destroyed — that is a scientific fact. If the depth is there, it cannot be denied, cannot slip through your fingers, cannot be something you successfully run away from due to fear of exposure or battle wounds. You can try to dismiss it, can try to stay protected and hidden from the warmth, but your hiding spot is never watertight — it always catches up to you.

And if it’s not meant to fit within the soul of you, if it’s simply not your love to hold, no amount of bargaining with your heart will anchor it. That is the beauty of discovering the things that stay, the things that fall into place. In a world of billions, in a world where we are all seeking connection but avoiding eye contact, there are remarkable points of impact where you manage to crash yourself into someone who ends up breaking through the exterior. Someone who makes contact with your heart, who grows roots within it. Together, you beat the odds.

If you have found human beings like this, I hope you protect them. I hope you risk your heart for what you feel. I hope you believe that you are worthy of something full, and pointed and real. I hope you never settle for less, because certain people are truly just rare, beautiful drops of borrowed light that find their way to you. You don't feel alien with them. The otherness never arrives. There isn't a version of yourself you have to shed in order to feel connected to them. They see you clearly. You are held there. (Continued...)

Extremely Beautiful quote on finding connection

Dwindling sky and
drudging sun,
remember these days when
frustration fills air.
chaos is what I smell around
and I see,
they are escaping the weight of darkness, from this city of manipulation.

unscrupulous theories,
crack philosophies,
cowards rule castles
and hypocrites preach
liberalism and tolerance.

I  feel,
I should walk on the road,
and seek if there remains few
who can yet sing, laugh, cry and live
on their own wish,
without having to escape the weight of darkness


I am leaving my friend,
this search of hypothesis
It is mirage for me
I  will walk away,
and may you remember,
when i escaped the weight of darkness,
I  left a poem to live in the city

a poem to live in the city

Quant Trader

Welcome to Confessions's Private Community

REJECT The Company The Way They Do It

Senior software engineer

Most of us here on GV are in the corporate boat. Some experienced, some new. I think most of us would not have dreamt of working in our jobs in childhood, and almost all of us landed into some role after our education and continued to grow after. While you continue to work for that next promotion or hike, when do you get the feeling of making it in corporate?

When did/would you feel you’ve made it?

Product Manager

It’s the little things that add up over time that ends in someone moving on.

The layoffs that didn’t make sense
The flexibility being taken away randomly
The sudden email announcement pulling back all office paid cab drop and pickup
The mailer stating variable pay will only be paid when you meet 100% of quota
The constantly increasing office work hours and work load
The unaddressed toxic behavior of certain individuals
The denied leave requests during emergencies
The micromanagement
The steady retraction of autonomy
The gradual dilution of expertise 
The dying culture 
The lack of empathy during personal crises
The favouritism / The promotion of some folks that didn’t add up
The unrealistic expectations without support
The disconnect between leadership and the ground team

It could be anything, and all of the above or anything.. 
but it’s the little things that matter. 
The little things that you ignored, you didn’t question, you didn’t bother answering, you didn’t call out that it bothered you, you didn’t listen, you didn’t reciprocate, you didn’t respond to, you didn’t share… 

It could be nothing to you, something for others, and everything for someone.. but it’s still the little things that matter.

Those little things

Human resource

Hey all, How are you ?
Well I am not fine, I am devastated and have no idea what to do with my life now. As I can't see any way out of this mess where I am right now.
I finally got an offer from a company where I have to join in 1 month but my current company is not allowing me to leave before serving the notice period of 90 days. Despite being on the bench for the last 5 months and still no hope for getting allocated with a project. Firstly, my manager told me that they'll give an early release if I find another opportunity somewhere. But now since I have got the job offer from a different company he denied it. 

The HR of the company where I have to join after a month told me it's not possible to wait for 90 days and he'll revoke the offer if I am unable to join in a month.

😓 my life is a complete mess now. Don't know what to do. I am literally crying every hour, seeing my career getting ruined. It was my mistake joining such a company where employees are not at all valued. 

It was difficult for me to find another job as I didn't have proper experience. I worked on a project for 8 months only and the project got ramped down. 

Now I don't have any choice. I feel like I am trapped for life and there is no way out.
Writing this post with watery eyes. Hoping to know if there is any solution to this trap.

Resignation

Network analyst

Welcome to Ask Grapeviners's Private Community

Papergirl’s Dance

Lives like she has nine hearts,
Knows she has just one.

Careful, Papergirl, don't soar
Too close to the sun.

Gently, Papergirl, cut and shape,
Chase your dreams in their twilight escape.

Promise, Papergirl, my vow is clear,
Sing to the stars? I'll pretend not to hear.

Come on, Papergirl, your dance has begun,
Lives like she has nine hearts, claims she needs but one.

Poem 1 | Paper Girl

Human resources

Looking to know experiences of folks who went this path and are blissful with the renewed priorities in life.

I don't see 
-any hope or direction where my current scaleup startup I work at is going
-why I have to bear the brunt of yessmens of the ceos who are just collecting paychecks - before they themselves can go solo as consultant/content creator/leader.
-point in playing lottery with another startup job switch of landing in another similar environment
-point of ruining my prime late 20s social life to collect pay checks when I have enough f*uck you money
-future of work will only need me do 15hrs/week in half a decade because of AI and blackmirror like world.
-poiny of current career trajectory as currney job will be replaced to need 80% less manpower - again genAI stuff..

So as I embark, want to know more stories and rides both successfull and failures by your own subjective sense!

Quitting job and exploring solopreneur opportunities - share your experience!

If this excites you, you are old!🤦🏻‍♀️😅

PS: Giving Friday vibes!

The sky is pink💕

Tech lead

For the Pride Left Behind
For The Kindness that was sowed when I was a child
With the empathy I felt for the hearts around
For the love I saw in everyone's eyes

The warmness everyone carried in themselves
Was I late
I don't know
I didn't seek revenge on myself
Nor a war

As a Adult
I realised I seek Calmness
The battle that carried himself over the years
The criteria to win was to loose upon himself

The scars that I carried
Were after all the Pride I heart
The uneasiness I fealt
Was to do the good always
The light that shine
Was after all the hope that was always within me

How could I Forget?
The life I lived was a blessing
The problems, The solutions
The journey blessed by my ancestors.

A Reminder

Hello Grapeviners

So I guess I hit the mid-life career crisis and finally resigned from Microsoft abruptly yesterday. 

Reasons for resignation:
1. I am saturated with my work and feel out of fuel now.
2. No Pay Raise or Stocks since 2 years.
3. No Promo in last 2 years even after being a top performer and winning multiple awards and accolades.
4. Was promised by my manager that I will be promoted in Feb but now he/she quotes budget.

What my manager says:
1. You have a valid L1B, don't resign.
2. Says you will get the promo in September but now it is not possible.

Please Note: I resigned abruptly without any offers in hand. I guess managers think that folks who have L1B won't resign so their promo can be delayed.

Just wanted to share with the the community. Thanks 🙏

Resigned from Microsoft

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

Want to discuss if sabbatical being a taboo is valid and peoples opinions of it.
I will start with mine
Background - 
8 years in tech 
3 company switches 
Sabbatical of 1 month, 3 month and 6 month between each break.
Personal experience - quite enriching. Though there was panic and anxiety of not having a job during the period, it truly helped me take a step back, reassess my career trajectory, and mostly just Destress and re prioritise

Every now and then i loose my true love for tech and product and the sabbaticals helped me to rediscover that by just reading about technology that was not outcome driven ( like for switching a job) 
Quite rewarding each time in terms of salary jumps also. I think i was able to make a better case for myself at a particular position just because i had more time to process stuff from last job. 
It also helped me make better decisions for next thing which has in general helped me shape my career better ( i think atleast) 

Open to anyone sharing their stories/perspectives related to sabbaticals

Sabbatical stories - a thread

In the silence of the morning, a whisper cuts the air,
A message cold and distant, a news too hard to bear.
Dreams built on dedication, now teetering on the brink,
A heart beats heavy, wondering what to think.

Hands that once were busy, now tremble in the void,
A future once so certain, now painfully destroyed.
Colleagues turned to family, faces etched with strife,
Together we once thrived, now fragments of a life.

Hope flickers dim, yet stubborn in the dark,
A search for new beginnings, a flame ignites a spark.
For even in this sorrow, strength will find its way,
In the wake of endings, dawns a brighter day.

Layoffs

Operations Manager

I have been talking to this woman lately at work since the past 2 months (I KNOW dating at workplace isnt a great idea but pasand aagai kya karu) . Currently, we are mere workplace buddies and not in a relationship. 

On somedays she is like really friendly with me and starts talking about her life and I love listening to her. 

On certain days she is extremely unapproachable and feels like a stranger. 

I know mood swings hote etc but why would she ignore me completely on some days while try to engage in meaningful conversations on other days.

It keeps alternating and its very annoying. 

I feel like supporting her on bad days but she doesn lt want that it seems.

Yeh odd even kar kar ke mai thakk gaya hu
I just want her. Every single fckin day of my life. 
She makes my day a little more worthy every time we talk, and I feel when you find such people, you shouldnt let them go !

Beyond the perfect!

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