How did I get here?

This is for the people who know me from previous businesses, courses or events and have come into my website via LinkedIn, or for people who don’t know me and curious.

Taking time out of the corporate world

I have been in digital hibernation for a few months now. Since closing the door to a life I once loved, in favour for a new life of love of a person, and a new career that is on my terms.

Its not that I had it bad, in fact the opposite is true. I had it great. I lived by the sea and had a great job. I was part of a team leading cultural transformation for an organisation that had an ambitious growth strategy. It was an exciting time. I was taking on a broader remit, building my own team and working at a more senior level too.

Then things changed. The CEO left, so the strategy changed and so my role changed.  Whilst all of that was going on, a little voice was saying ‘do you really want to get another job and go through all this again?’. The answer to that question, no.

Running parallel to the deconstruction of my world at work, my world at home was also spinning in a metaphorical washing machine. A year prior, I had met my partner (actually, I manifested him) who lived inland and won’t be able to move away from his current town for a few more years. We wanted to be together and settle down. This was a big deal for many reasons, leaving the coast and moving in with someone. The latter being new territory for miss independent me.

So I had to make some big life decisions. And I had conversations that enabled me to have some financial breathing space to think about what I really wanted to do. AKA, I engineered redundancy.

What I did know is…

• I wanted time out of full-time corporate employment to find myself, outside of a strategic role, a set of values to bring to life and a leadership team to support.

• The parts of my job that I loved were just that, parts. I want to be in flow more of the time. So, if I am to work in corporate then I want to do what I like doing and what I am good at.

• I felt behind on my own development and wanted to build on my interpersonal skills plus positive feedback I get from my close friends. I’m often told how insightful I am, intuitive, or as one friend says, ‘you are like a witch’. A good one of course. Think Glinda.

• A new me is emerging. And, for now, I need more freedom in how I work.  

• I am good at Hypnotherapy and want to use it again and teach self-hypnosis to people to help with stress and self-care.

• I want to work more directly with people, particularly people who have had some of the same struggles as I have around self-worth and imposter syndrome.

The actions I took…

• I booked myself onto a semi-intensive Executive Coaching course with In Good Company. Its an ILM Level 7. This is ticking the need of personal development and supporting me to develop as a leader and giving me transition options. Its not that I hadn’t coached before, but I never got the investment to do this qualification (and get the badge) when I was employed so I invested in myself instead.

• I talked to people about Associate opportunities with third party leadership development and training consultancies. This has taken time to come to fruition, but I have some great opportunities coming my way now, and more conversations to have too. What’s brilliant about this is I get paid to do the work I enjoy the most. Collaborating, designing, facilitating, and delivering learning experiences that people enjoy, are inspired by and apply.

• I got in touch with a friend who is a graphic designer to help me pull together a basic website that can help me present my areas of speciality. Thank you Emily.

• I started talking to people at a local Holistic Health centre and managed to get a couple of Hypnotherapy clients to get the ball rolling.

How is it all going?

The coaching course is great. I have loved every minute of it and met some great people too. I have been learning again – about myself and life in general. I’ll write about that separately.

I have started to work again, as a consultant plus seeing some clients for hypnotherapy. And I am looking forward to being an Associate in the summer on a couple of cool projects with well-known businesses in the UK.

Living away from the coast has been harder than living with a man and his three teenagers on a part-time basis. I do miss the sea and buzz, but I appreciate other things:

• Its nice having people around me more.

• I love living with my boyfriend.

• I like routine.

• I am closer to my hometown too.

• I have good friends nearby who I see more regularly.

• I really like the birdsong I hear in the mornings at home, and in the local parks.

• I love our neighbours and take their cockapoo out for walks which gives us both joy.

• I have made some new friends in the area.

• There is a Hot Pod Yoga studio in walking distance.

• Getting into London is so much easier and cheaper.

What’s next?

• Completing the requirements for this Coaching course is my immediate focus, followed by building up my experience and an income in this new space.

• Continuing with my personal development in all the ways that’s happening – through relationships, exercise, yoga, and spiritual practise.

• Working on getting more clarity on my direction which includes working with my own coach.

Would I go back to full-time employment?

Yes, if I had to or, if the most amazing job came along. For now, I want to create that for myself.

Thanks for reading.