By Guest Blogger, Gina Blitstein
This will be my last entry on True Professions about my career reinvention. The time has come to wrap up my coaching sessions with Ellen and review my progress. The end of the coaching process, however, in no way means that my career makeover has come to an end. This merely signifies the end of this initial phase of my reinvention. This is a comfortable and logical place to step off and forge ahead using the skills I’ve learned working with Ellen these past few months.
I have learned so much in my sessions with Ellen! My career coaching has taken place strictly over phone and email. I’ve never met Ellen in person - in fact we are geographically separated by nearly 1000 miles. But through each of our meetings, Ellen’s encouraging words have come shining across the miles!
Ellen helped me overcome obstacles to my career reinvention by assigning me exercises to combat these issues:
- Identity - Ellen encouraged me to write a pitch, describing my business and what makes it unique.
- Shyness - She wouldn’t take “No” for an answer when I explained how uncomfortable I was doing in-person networking!
- Self-doubt - Ellen had me make post-it notes describing aspects about my professional qualities.
- Isolation - She gave me the assignment to make arrangements to call and speak with three freelance writers in order to begin growing my professional network.
Each assignment taught me something valuable. To be honest, some were uncomfortable and difficult while others proved easier. But each one helped me discover resources and abilities I never knew I possessed. I have at least tried some new techniques and I will continue to hone my abilities as my career progresses.
Her encouragement and professionalism have served as a steady heartbeat to the sometimes challenging situations I’ve encountered as I’ve stretched myself to grow and develop new skills. That is exactly what I needed to discover the courage and strength within myself to think about things in a new way and willingly put myself in vulnerable situations for the sake of my new career.
You can read back over the past posts to discover exactly what I wanted to gain from career coaching with Ellen - and you’ll see that I did indeed achieve those goals. And you can even read that I have outlined my next set of career goals. But I’ve reached a point at which I want to explore a longer-range vision of myself - the me I want to grow toward, now that I am empowered by my successes. I want to explore the future me because now, thanks to the skills I’ve developed working with Ellen, I’m not afraid to imagine the possibilities and most importantly, I’m not afraid to try.
A long-range goal is something I’ve never even considered until recently. In my former career as a daycare provider, that was it - there was no place to go, no dream to work toward. Now that I have successfully changed gears completely - I find that my new career possibilities are wide-open. What type of writing do I want to focus on? What kind of clients do I want to work with? When do I want to work? Where do I want to work? How far do I want to reach to attain the status in my career that I desire? All these choices are available to me for the first time. I can customize my work life to fit what I am good at and what I am passionate about. What unbelievable freedom I am now blessed with!
It’s just like Ellen says - when your work fits your interests and your personality, you experience maximum satisfaction in both arenas! Simply stated, I know I will live a more fulfilling life because I am doing work that I love.
Thanks to Ellen’s coaching, I know how to assess my level of satisfaction, imagine different possibilities and paths and do the work necessary to make - and keep - my career my passion. It can be - and will be - a lifelong endeavor. I know I’m up to the challenge because I have this recent success as living proof.
Thank you, Ellen, for helping me to find my own sense of comfort, identity and direction in my new career!
