By late 2021, I needed a career change and to make a shift. Two solid years of working from home had left me feeling stale & restless. When the university I was working at indicated we’d be returning in person sometime in 2022, I started to wonder ‘is that all there is…?’ During lockdown I didn’t manage to make sourdough bread, learn a language or write a novel but I did feel a shift in where I wanted to be and what mattered most. I know lots of people felt the same way - for the first time in my working adult life I had a chance to stop and listen. Yes, to the birds the peace from less traffic but my inner voice screaming for more than just the usual. I'll always be grateful for the opportunity, but at that time my employer rarely wanted ideas from anyone other than management / women of color and anything offered up had to go through so many sign offs and gate ways that change was/is slow. Considered change has its place but when it harms motivation & inspiration it’s not progress.
Before I took the leap, in 2021 I co authored a PR & Marketing guide with my sister the
Find Your Stride - the Creative Business Inspiration Toolkit in late 2020 and on a walk around Virginia Water we hit on the idea that we had lots of combined experience that we wanted to share to help start ups and businesses. It's been an exciting challenge to create something from scratch and seeing people engage with it has been so rewarding. In taking this step I felt ready to find new opportunities and it increased my confidence.
So I set about stepping out of my comfort zone by re-connecting with my network, seeking advice from my peers and developing further side projects. The start of 2022 has seen me take on new roles, develop new jobs and feel excited for the future. Is it a bit nerve racking to shake up the everyday into something new? Very much so. Do I wish I'd not made the change - no, (although I miss my previous colleagues). Whatever your goals, don’t be afraid….you might just surprise yourself.
Image: Daniel Thomas, Unsplash