What if everything works out even better than you imagined?

I invite you to come on a journey with me.

Find a comfortable position. 

Close your eyes. Take a breath: in through your nose, out through your mouth. 

Take another breath. This time, focus on making the exhale longer than the inhale. 

Imagine that it’s five years from now. 

You’re living your ideal life, the life of your dreams, a life you love. 

You’re doing work that you love, work that’s fulfilling, work that’s meaningful to you.

What does it look like? 

What are you doing? 

How are you feeling?

Let your imagination go to town as you visualize the life you desire. 

Be specific and detailed—

What does your workplace look like?

What kind of work are you doing? 

How does your work make you feel?

Don’t hold yourself back. 

Don’t let other people’s ideas or expectations into your vision. 

Be bold. Be brave. Be unapologetically you. 

Journal about it and come back to this vision as often as you need to lock it in. 

The first time I did this exercise, I was already over 40. It was quite shocking to realize that I had never really thought about my future in any great detail. 

For most of my adult life, it was a one-year plan. Teach from September to June and travel in the summer. 

Repeat 18 times.

11 years ago, my principal asked what my 5-year plan was. 

Personally and professionally, there wasn’t one. I knew what I was doing for the next 12 months. I’d think about 2015 next year. 

And who knew what 2019 would bring—5 years seemed like forever in the future. 

He’d mentioned a friend who’d recently had a baby by herself. She was tired of waiting to find the one and knew she wanted to have children. 

Was that something I wanted at this stage of my life?

I didn’t know, but suddenly, the clock was ticking really loudly.

But his questions stayed on my mind long after our lunch together. What was my 5-year plan? I was 35 and had recently returned from a teaching exchange in Australia. What was my plan for the future?

For 10 years, I’d focused almost exclusively on my job. Evenings and weekends spent planning, marking, and organizing left little time for hobbies, friends, fun, or long-term relationships. 

Teaching gave me financial independence, but I felt stuck, handcuffed to the salary, benefits, pension, and holidays. 

I couldn’t think of any other job that would provide the same benefits but give me more balance, so I stayed. 

Was it worth it?

No, it wasn’t. 

The sacrifices made over 18 long years were significant. 

But I didn’t come to that realization until a series of unfortunate events led me to finally decide to quit. 

Resigning from a career where exhaustion, overwhelm, and burnout were the norm, where huge personal sacrifice was made, where there was little recognition or gratitude for a job well done, was easier than I thought it would be. 

And three years later, the only regret I have is that I didn’t do it sooner.

Staying stuck where you are is a choice. 

And let’s face it, there are many reasons women stay stuck in their careers. 

Many struggle with self-doubt and a lack of confidence. They also might lack clarity about what they want to do, which leads them to stay where they are. 

It’s safe.

Comfortable.

It’s easier to stay than to leave, even if you’re dissatisfied and unhappy. 

Maybe you went into your career because your parents thought you should, or because it’s what good girls did, or because it seemed like the best option. 

Maybe you faced career stagnation as there were fewer opportunities to progress. Or maybe you had no interest in the opportunities that were available. 

The financial security your career provides also keeps you stuck. It’s hard to leave a job when you’re paid well and have benefits, a pension, and holidays. 

It’s risky to leave all that behind if you make the leap to something new. 

So, where do you start?

How do you take the first step to figure out what you want?

If you’re anything like many women I know, you seldom have time for yourself. To sit in solitude. To just be.

Start with that. 

And remember to breathe: in through your nose, out through your mouth. Focus on a longer exhale—it activates the relaxation response.

Then journal. Write freely. Don’t force it. Don’t overthink it. Just write whatever comes to you.

Treat yourself to a beautiful notebook and pen and commit to journalling in it every day, even if only for 5 minutes. 

Block it into your schedule. 

And make it happen. 

If this is important to you (and it is if you’ve gotten this far), you will make the time.

You have to make the time.

Or you risk staying stuck. Dissatisfied, discontent, discouraged with your life. 

Remember, you only get one life.

And you’re the only person who has the power to change it.

So make the time. 

It’s a priority.

The journey to discover who you are and what you want is a continual revelation. 

That vision you had when you first began reading this blog? 

Build on that. 

Dive deep: 

• What’s in your cupboards? Your closets? Your desk?

• What does your home look like? Smell like? Feel like?

• How does your day unfold? 

• How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?

• How do you feel as you go through your day?

• What kind of work are you doing?

• What are you doing outside work: hobbies, passions, activities?

• Who else is in your vision?

Then, think about how you got there. 

• What steps were taken? 

• What realizations needed to occur to get there? 

• What things did you have to unlearn?

If you're feeling stuck and want to create a fulfilling career that aligns with your passions and values, I'm here to help. 

Together we'll uncover your true potential and craft a career path that brings you joy and satisfaction.

Your journey to creating a life you love begins when you decide it does. 

Let's embark on it together and make your career dreams a reality, after all...

What if everything works out even better than you imagined?