I have been all of the women I described on my home page…I had a major life change dropped on me (more than once,) I was miserable in a job I had for six years, AND I was someone who had absolutely no work-life balance throughout most of my professional career. Plus a few more that I didn’t address on my homepage -- never married until my mid 50’s, yo-yo-dieting, refusing to ask for help, living through menopause – should I go on??? And if you asked those around me to describe me, they would have likely said I seemed like I had it all together. Really???
I grew up on a farm outside of a small town in Iowa and as a farm girl, we worked. We had to. There was always something to do and there was no time to get (or be) all emotional about stuff…you just sucked it up and worked. So, when I quit my stable Federal job and gave up my Thrifty Savings Plan in 2006 because I knew I needed/wanted more in my life, you can imagine that people thought I was crazy—especially my family! You suck it up and work. I knew I didn’t want to let another year go by where I was getting up, going to work, staying at work until 8:00 p.m. or later, coming home, going to bed, and starting the whole thing again the next day. I wasn’t eating right, exercising regularly, or having much of any kind of social life. I was completely sucked into the hamster wheel and knew it was time for me to jump off.
When I quit my job, I felt liberated and free, and knew that I could create something in my life that I was passionate about and loved. I took some time off to allow myself to decompress, got quiet, and slowed my mind down enough to listen to what my heart and spirit was telling me to do. That led me to coaching.
Since starting Your Next Chapter in 2007, every day I get to choose to do work I am passionate about, working with people I love and enjoy, and am making a difference in people’s lives.
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” Jim Rohn
I was a part of someone else’s plan for a long time. I love that I am now deliberately designing my own life plan. This plan is so much bigger than I ever imagined growing up on my parent’s farm in Iowa!
If you find yourself on your own hamster wheel and are ready to jump off, schedule a complimentary 30-minute strategy session to design a life you love.