How this all started!
October 2021. It was a Monday, an end of day meeting popped in my calendar.
I had a sense of the conversation coming. Still, the wait to hear the official word and receive the re-structuring package felt long. I filled the day applying for new jobs, trying to distract myself.
The meeting itself lasted five minutes. Just direct and to the point. Looking back, that worked for me too. I remained professional, thanked them, and said I’d review the letter. A few conversations later, we started moving on.
At the time, I didn’t understand how difficult it was for those across the table and those most close to me as well. Deep relationships had been formed and still exist to this day.
Despite the hurt, a new, a better path emerged.
What came next
I was offered the services of an executive career transition coach as part of the transition package. Looking back, I didn’t fully appreciate how transformative this would be.
My identity was wrapped up in my work, my performance for others, my desire to be perfect, and my ability to deliver. I felt vulnerable, lost and was grieving.
I wanted to jump straight into something new and rebuild. So, I applied to a number of roles and started the interview process. However, I wasn’t aligning my search with my values, my skills, my purpose or joy and it was noticeable.
how coaching made the difference
My coach brought a level of skill, expertise, and compassion that I needed to start my career exploration. There weren’t solutions or a how-to-guide, my coach asked the hard questions that held me capable to find the answers within, and to craft my own path on a different, healthier way forward.
We explored what had worked well and what hadn’t. We dove into assessments, debriefs, and reflections. I began to see patterns I hadn’t noticed before—moments when I had felt at my best, when I had a clear sense of purpose, and when I was making my greatest contributions.
She helped me move from a place of fear and shame to a place of courage and clarity. I began to understand my worth and what I truly had to offer —not just as a professional, but as a human. It was a process. It required time, patience, and a willingness to check-in on my emotional intelligence.
an opportunity to re-connect
Through this experience my career theme or thread became clear. And I started to map out a plan to go down this road with more intention. With a learners mindset, I am feeling more open and more trusting of myself then in previous times, feeling supported and grateful for those that I’ve met along the way.
Everyone’s experience with job loss is different, it’s a complex mix of emotions, aspirations and identity that are deeply personal. Losing my job at that time was my opportunity to re-examine what brought me joy, my talents and my purpose. Others will find different meaning and significance.
I learned that I didn’t need to have all the answers. And that even in the midst of uncertainty, the most transformative and meaningful journeys often begin in the places we least expect.