Claire Hobden

Homebase:

Geneva, New York City, Virginia

Unsettled Destination: 

Lifestyle Incubator

What do you do for work?

International specialist on domestic work.

Unsettled taught me…

to use my life as a testing ground. When I found Unsettled, I was seriously considering taking a leave of absence, after 10 years working for my organization, and 15 years on a pretty singular career path. I’d always said my work was my calling, but it started to feel like I was treading water, getting more and more bogged down each day. As much as I felt the urge to change things up, it felt inconceivable to move on it from it. I thought I was going to have to cut off the limb to save my life. But Unsettled taught me to break the problem down into its parts, develop some hypotheses of what my help to fix those pain points, and find ways to test out those hypotheses, quickly and effectively, before making any big decisions. In the end, I figured out I didn’t need to quit to be happy. I just needed to change the rules of engagement.

Because of Unsettled…

Ironically… I feel more settled! Or let’s say more tranquil. Unsettled’s lifestyle incubator equipped me to live in line with my own core values, and to regularly check-in on how that alignment is doing. Having that tranquility on the inside makes every decision easier, but it especially makes it a whole lot easier to take risks and live unsettled on the outside.

Unsettled changed my view on…

What it really means to live Unsettled. I thought it meant you had to quit your job. Start that new company. Take that year off and travel the world. Give up your security blanket and go streaking through the town square. Spoiler alert: you don’t HAVE to do any of those things to live Unsettled. In fact, living unsettled doesn’t have a fixed, predetermined outcome. Now I view “living unsettled” as a way of being and engaging with the world. It means keeping your eyes, ears and mind open to opportunities, people, ideas and experiences, and taking them with both hands. And that’s something you can do from anywhere. Even right now at your office job. (Right after drooling over Unsettled’s Instagram posts.)

Unsettled surrounded me with…

Opportunities. You know that saying, if the only tool you have is a hammer, you treat everything as it were a nail? Well, if you’ve seen the world through the Unsettled lens, everything looks like an opportunity.. for growth, connection, exploration, and all that good stuff.

The Unsettled Community…

Is your global, personal, cheer-leading squad, committee of experts, and travel guide. You’ll never again wonder if you have a contact in country X. Or if anyone in your network can help you learn how to do Y. And will always find someone to have a virtual coffee/drink with you if you need a boost to get you to Z.

After Unsettled…

There is no such thing as AFTER Unsettled! It becomes part of your DNA.