I am in the middle of big personal and professional transitions. For the latter, the organization I have been leading is navigating an important conversation about it's own future. Being with this organization and in this role for 15 years, anticipating the changes ahead has got me thinking about my own future ... I knew I was not too old to start over but I was too old to keep doing what wasn't working. In this next chapter of my life, I was interested in the following: being well paid and well rested, clear that my worth wasn't tied to proof but woven into my presence and deeply engaged in generating value through alignment, not hustle.

Before I found myself here, I knew I was working hard but feeling dissatisfied. I knew something had to shift career satisfaction wise and how I monetize my talents in the midst of a relationship transition (hello dual income to single income) and a job transition.

But I didn't have a plan, just a feeling - friends, we're not doing plans anymore. I started to pursue this feeling first by going through an aptitude test, a curiosity sparked by a networking conversation. The results affirmed (and reassured) a lot of what I already knew in terms of potential career paths as well as roles that played into my strengths. Coaching was one of them. I put a pin in it (and some terrifying feedback of how the coaching space is so saturated). Nine months later at a 50th birthday party, I connected with a former colleague who steered me to a training and certification program. Having a vague understanding of coaching (I thought it was being an advisor ... I have learned since then it is most definitely not that), once again pursuing that feeling inside I decided to take the first step and enroll in the program with a nod to synchronicity and also thinking that at the very least it would contribute to my skills as a senior executive. Helping my friends and colleagues journey into self-acceptance and translate that into clarity and actionable purpose was something I had enjoyed throughout my career.

And so far one thing I’m learning is that beginning anew, even towards something you feel an affinity for (even when data certified) is hard. Another is that having to reimagine your career 20 years in is a vulnerable and courageous act. It's eating a lot of humble pie. I don't know if I will fully ever see myself as an expert — but I am devoted to this work.

This blog will be a space where I share reflections on this journey — my own, and the ones I witness through my work. As well as a space for a small creative outlet - posting photographs I take as a accompaniment to the writing. If you’re in a season of transition or soft rebuilding, I hope something here helps you feel less alone.