Prince Harry's autobiography a self-help book?

As a federal employee, it's no surprise that the last 7 months have been stressful.

There have been so many changes in such a short amount of time that I can honestly say it's been traumatic (and I don't use that word lightly).

So it's also probably not a surprise to know that there was a stretch of time where I felt like I should leave federal service.

My job as a civil servant is more than just a job. It's more than my career. It's tied to my core value of being of service and believing that the work that I do is bigger than myself and making a positive impact on the people and the country that I love.

So while struggling with this decision, I stumbled on Prince Harry's autobiography, Spare.

Personally, I don't follow the royal "news" and have given up on reading/watching news in general for my mental health. So why was I drawn to this book?

Because I knew he had left the royal family and moved to California with his family and I thought "hmmm... surely if Prince Harry can leave his job and leave his country, this book should give me perspective to help me leave my little job in the federal government!"

And it did give me perspective on what to do with my job. And so much more!

First off, whoever ghost wrote this book was really good (I assume Harry didn't write it all on his own)! It was captivating and the themes and visuals that weaved through the chapters were engaging and thoughtful.

Secondly, I could weirdly relate and sympathize with him as a human born into a challenging family dynamic. And I could tell that he has done so much inner work and reflection to get to where he is now. It was very inspiring!

Lastly, I loved how he weaved in stories of times when he had spiritual experiences with animals and when he connected with his mom's spirit and he felt her guidance. You know I love that stuff and live it all the time!

So what does this have to do with quitting my federal job?

Well, I guess I was expecting his book so say something like "love conquers all" or "live you dreams" or something like that.

But instead his story was nuanced and messy and it felt "real." And for me, it was a reminder that life is exactly that.

The perspective shift actually came from thinking about my life like someone was reading my autobiography.

Would the reader be pulling for me to quit my job and put 110% into ming+ming? Or would they be rooting for me to stay in the government to bring my gift of community building, teaching mindfulness, and healing to the federal workforce?

What story and plot twist was I rooting for?

So what did I decide? For now, I've decided to continue in federal service. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? What I do know is that I am living true to what I need to do for me, for my federal colleagues, and for my country in this moment.

And I think Prince Harry would have done the same.

With love,

Ming-Wai