Nhu nguyen

Failure — in relationships, careers, or life direction — is like an iceberg: cold, overwhelming, and seemingly destructive on the surface. But beneath it lies a vast, hidden world of possibility we often overlook when we’re too exhausted to see beyond the pain. This post is about what happens when we look below the surface to find the very thing that leads us forward.

Space for Alignment

Leaving a (long-term) relationship can feel like the end of the world. We invested deeply. We expected more. We planted seeds and watered them with care, day by day. We never planned to leave the garden — it felt like home. But one day, we realize: we’ve outgrown the space. We drown in expectations we once built and replay a million versions of “what if” to understand how we ended up here. But the longer we stay stuck answering a question that no longer serves us, the harder it becomes to see the green grass on the other side. And yet — leaving also opens the door to new possibilities to meet someone who shares our values, our dreams, our pace. They might appear on a trip, in a café, on a digital platform — or in some small, unexpected corner of life where a new story begins.

Losing a job we love, especially through a sudden layoff, can also feel like a collapse of identity. We poured our energy, time, and purpose into the role. We built relationships, routines, and dreams around it. One moment, we belonged and the next, we’re left holding uncertainty with both hands, unsure of our direction.
It’s easy to feel demotivated, even defeated. We review our journey, replay conversations, and try to make sense of a decision that often had nothing to do with us. But sometimes, losing that job becomes the unexpected nudge we needed. A year later, we might be working remotely from a beachside café, leading our own creative venture, or thriving in a market we once knew nothing about.

Failure is like an iceberg — cold, overwhelming, and seemingly destructive on the surface. But beneath it lies a vast, hidden world of possibility. Still, before we can reach that stage, it’s essential and completely fine to let ourselves feel everything. To sit with the pain, to review the path that brought us here, and to meet the vulnerable version of ourselves without judgment. This is not weakness but the believe in ‘trust the process’. It protects us from falling into the trap of toxic positivity and allows true growth to take root. Only by acknowledging the depth of what we’ve lost can we begin to see the depth of what might come next.

THE WORLD OF: EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE

I have two pieces of news for you. A bad news is, what you cherished is over. The good news is, after the break, everything is possible. What once felt like an ending might just be the beginning of a story we never thought we’d get to write. The first time I moved on and felt it, it was like a fresh sea wave slapping my face and sweeping through all my worries, and leaving me with: “So that’s it, isn’t it?”. I worried a lot about how I can save what I missed, or find another chance to do it again, and forgot that now I can write a whole new chapter, which means what limit myself before was gone; I cannot fix this path again but I can freely find my puzzle and make my new lego.

Coming back to Vietnam once felt like a risky idea. I had already committed to a different path the moment I stepped into Europe four years ago. But life with its unpredictable waves, swept me away from that well-established journey and led me into one of the most powerful transformations of my life — a time when I redirected my focus, career, and mindset toward new possibilities.

I used to ask myself: What if I could be with my mom when she needed me the most? This return gave me that chance to be a daughter at home again, chit chatting with her while we cooked together, just like when I was younger. I used to wonder: What if I lived in Vietnam again? How would I handle it? This time, I experienced it and in doing so, I discovered how much I’ve grown emotionally. I met the calmest version of myself, one who welcomes whatever comes with grace. I also questioned: Beyond strategic communication, what else could I do? The past seven months have given me space to explore the business side of things from psychology and sustainability advisory to the building blocks of entrepreneurship. It helped me reconnect with and better apply everything I learned during my MBA learning journey. And yes, I used to be scared of being single at 30 with no marriage plans (a deeply ingrained pressure in many Asian cultures). But this time in Vietnam has shown me that being single at 31 can be joyful, freeing, and full of self-discovery. I’ve lived alone in my city, traveled to the Mekong Delta and to a new Asian country, and even revived the public blog I started a decade ago.

The world of what we can do once we move through pain is unlimited. Sometimes, it only takes one brave pivot to live the new life without fear. Life just doesn’t make sense when we feel stuck, lost, or behind. Society often pushes us to keep moving, keep producing, keep appearing “fine”. But at the same time, our true slef asks us to sit with discomfort. To strip away external definitions of success and reconnect with what actually matters. This kind of reset can spark a more intentional chapter, rooted in authenticity, values, and creativity.

Most importantly, never compare your life to someone else’s path. Every journey has its own pros and cons — and often, we only see the happy parts others choose to share with the world. The most beautiful story we should focus on is our own, because it carries our experiences, in our unique timeline. You can be joyful at 20 and lost at 25, confused at 30 and blooming at 35. There’s no such thing as “too late” in this life. What matters most to me is whether I feel at peace in each stage of the journey.

Have I ever regretted something in the past? Of course, we all feel wiser in hindsight, always. But I never linger there for too long, because I believe I made the best decisions with the information I had and emotion I carried at the time. Whether things turned out good or bad, they are simply outcomes of the journey I needed to take. If we never try, we never know. And the paths we didn’t choose? They remain quietly in the past, unwalked and unresolved. That’s okay. Because we’re exactly where we need to be now.

f you don’t know what to change or pursue in life, just pursue yourself – the calmest, bravest, clearest, most healed, and healthiest version of who you can be, inside out.
We don’t always need to have everything figured out, we just need to be honest with ourselves about what we truly want in life and the path belong to you will reveal itself. Sometimes it feels like we’re stuck in one place for too long. But maybe that stillness is the only resting phase you’ll get to prepare for the next blooming, busy season ahead. Stay present, and open for your world of possibility.