You don't need to worry about what others think. I'm so glad I started as a writer as a side job

When are you getting married?

By the time I was being asked that at work, I had already passed 30. Once you hit your mid-30s, people stop using words and start pressuring you with their eyes.

Wondering when I would get married and quit the company.

My job was in administration. Administrative work includes reception duties, making it the 'flower' of the workplace. But flowers eventually wither. There is a limit to how long you can be beautiful.

The flowers the workplace wants are young and fresh. Flowers that are starting to wither are pressured to retire.

When I first started working, it was common for women to quit upon marriage. I think I was even told during my interview, 'Get married when you turn 27. You need to keep working until then.'

Nowadays, that might be considered sexual harassment. But 25 years ago, that was the standard.

As I continued to drift through my job, I realized I had passed 35.

I don't have any special skills. I've just been diligently doing administrative work all this time. I have no particular merits. What am I supposed to do now?

The pressure from those around me to 'get married and quit your job soon' is intense. But I haven't been blessed with a good partner.

Don't choose based on looks. It's not about a man's job or his annual income. It's about whether he truly cares about you. People around me kept telling me that until they were blue in the face.

But the men who said all the right things each had their own hidden agendas. Men who hinted at living together. Men who subtly tried to make me buy a water purifier.

The men who whispered sweet nothings all seemed to have a certain flightiness in their words. Their restless demeanor was somehow unsettling. There's no way I could be happy following men like that.

Having a strange intuition, I turned down all their invitations. People around me kept saying things like I was being too picky or had high standards.

In the end, they told me to just compromise on marriage. Why should I have to compromise, get married, and quit my job?

Maybe I won't be able to get married. But since the pressure from the company to 'quit' is so strong, I'll have to leave eventually.

If that's the case, maybe I should acquire the skills to earn money on my own. I started thinking about that vaguely.

When I was working with a pale face, someone at work said to me, 'You can take the day off. Go participate in this matchmaking event.' I must have looked pretty cornered.

Being painfully honest, I actually took the day off and went to that matchmaking event.

I was the only woman there by myself. Everyone else was young and vibrant. There were girls wearing frilly blouses, tank tops, short shorts, and miniskirts here and there.

Amidst all the dazzling glamour, I was the only withered 35-year-old woman. Why on earth did I decide to show up in baggy T-shirt and jeans?

This is a barbecue mixer, right? Does anyone here actually intend to grill meat? Does anyone intend to wash the dishes?

...I want to go home.

As I stood in the corner feeling flustered, I spotted a man shouting loudly, "Alright, meat! Meat!" while grilling.

With his sharp features and powerful aura, he really stood out. His intensity was so overwhelming that no one dared to approach him.

Despite that, for some reason, I fell in love with him at first sight.

I went over to talk to him immediately, only to be flatly rejected: "I'm the president of this event, not a participant! Besides, I have a very cute girlfriend. A relationship with you is impossible!"

His true identity was the president of the event company.

Although he didn't accept my advances, he did say, "If there's another mixer in town, I'll invite you again, so please come." That was when we exchanged contact information.

Later, a notice appeared on his LINE timeline about a "writer recruitment for a mixer site."

At the time, I was writing a marriage hunting blog on Ameblo. I was confident in my writing, so I decided to apply right away.

Then he asked, "Miku-san, have you ever written professionally?" Well, of course. Since they were recruiting writers, they would naturally want to check how well I could write.

So, I sent him a screenshot of my blog's page views and the URL, and I was hired on the spot.

The president later told me this:

"Honestly, I didn't have any expectations at all. I wondered if this girl could really write. I was worried about whether it would be okay."

"I was surprised when I read your blog. I thought you were a genius. I believe you'll become a very successful writer someday."

It is no exaggeration to say that his words are what push me forward today. This encounter was the catalyst for me to aim to become a writer.

You never know how life will turn out. If I hadn't been invited to that mixer by someone from work back then. If I hadn't attended and spoken to the president...

And because the president introduced me to my current husband. If I hadn't met him, I wouldn't have been able to get married either.

When the president developed an ear condition, he negotiated with his doctor at the clinic, saying, "I want to invite a nurse to our mixer to attract customers. Do you know anyone good?" The person the doctor presented was my husband.

If I hadn't fallen in love with the president at first sight and spoken to him back then, I wouldn't have grasped my career as a writer, my marriage, or anything else.I realized that when you feel an opportunity, it's important to reach out.

When I first spoke to the president, I was so nervous that my voice trembled.

The president even gave me a suspicious look, saying, "Huh?" Still, by speaking up without fear, I was able to seize numerous opportunities.

A little bit of courage opens up big paths.From that experience, I decided that when I think, "This is it," I will move forward without hesitation.

I am now a writer who can contribute to numerous major media outlets. Sometimes, I even interview people I see on television.

If my past self saw me now, she surely wouldn't believe it. Although, when I first started as a writer, I was stumbling around quite a bit.

I want to tell the me who was flustered while trying to find a marriage partner and starting out as a writer: You will go on to meet a wonderful person and get married. You will have a cute daughter by your side, too.

And you will be thriving as a writer for many years to come.