How to U turn your career at any age
There I was, comfortably in a well-paid corporate role as Head of Sales for a multimillion-pound international logistics company, daydreaming about one day taking the leap to try something new.
I was 47 years old, and having spent over 20 years in logistics, I knew this would probably never change. Nor would I ever find the bravery to make that change.
This was a job I did not love; a job that I found stressful - where people were not very nice to me. The weight of this job meant I did not sleep most nights and even cried some evenings. Everyday saw me crazily struggling to cope with my son and his drop-offs and pick-ups while working fulltime. This was the job I planned to stay in for at least 2 years, no matter what, purely for how it would complement my CV. Who else does this?
Then, out of nowhere came COVID-19, quickly followed by my redundancy…
Having never been unlucky enough to find myself without a job, I initially felt fear, and I panicked. I sat in the office of my very formidable female boss and listened while she told me the company could no longer afford to pay me and so I no longer had a job.
I had not been there very long and so had no offer of a redundancy package either. My initial panic while sitting there slowly started shifting… I hated this job, maybe this was good news! The universe was pushing me out onto my butt, and I started to feel excited. I had dreamt of starting my own business; I could do this!
Only seconds passed before this was swiftly replaced again by sheer panic, what was this wild pipe dream that arrived in my mind fleetingly, and how crazy was it? I could never do this… I needed a job!
Then began the arduous task of emails, agents, and interviews, and emails and agents and interviews, again and again. My heart was not in it though. I did the interview prep and smiled sweetly – giving it my best effort but I was not feeling it.
I wanted to take this chance – this huge shift in my universe that had been created for me, a break in the clouds.
Within days I turned down an offer of a very good role which was a step down but still a great job. I attended all the interviews and stopped arranging new ones. I decided instead to give my dreams a chance. I started meditating and manifesting exactly what I wanted to do and where this chance could lead me. Where was my passion?
It did not take too long to find my new path; my love of helping people had always been in my heart, add to this my love of nutrition, exercise and overall health, sprinkle on top a few questions my friends regularly asked me… How do you keep fit? What do you eat for lunch and dinner? What is your diet? How do you stay slim at your age?
All of this led me to decide to become a Health Coach – helping women to look and feel better, more beautiful, sexier, and generally more fabulous. Motivating them to eat more healthily and to move more to look and feel younger.
It felt right and amazing, like the job was made for me!
This was terrifying but also so incredibly exciting at the same time. At this point I knew there would be challenges to get past even before I set off. My husband for one! I knew he wanted me to be happy but we both had jobs which were well paid, and so me jumping off the corporate ladder would no-doubt have a big financial effect on us for probably a long time.
My husband sometimes needs a little convincing of any mad plans I dream up and so I decided to draw him up a business plan; a plan of exactly what I wanted to do and how I would succeed. This would also calm my own nerves and fears. After some talking and convincing my husband to jump on board and be excited for me, too, he offered to support me financially while I carried out the necessary training and started coaching.
Stepping into an entirely new space, I proactively signed up to a year’s online course with the internationally renowned Health & Nutrition school, The Institute of Integrated Nutrition (IIN).
From the moment I signed up, my heart soared at the thought of working with other women and helping them to achieve their health goals. I knew I would be improving the lives of people and this made me overjoyed.
I am now almost a year on, with my training nearly finished, and I have started coaching. I will be fully certified by April 2021 and my business continues to grow in the meantime.
It has been a mammoth learning curve and I have achieved things I never thought possible.
Designing my own website being one of them! Studying day and night; helping women lose their negative feelings about themselves and to completely shine with happiness. And I have absolutely loved every minute of it.
I have been told I am a great coach in various client testimonials. I have juggled homeschooling with studying and starting a business from scratch. I can tell you it is possible.
Things have never been better; I am earning very little compared with my corporate status before and our financial life is different, but I have never been happier, more relaxed, or more excited about what the future holds. Every day I am more challenged and engaged, more blown away by the wonderful women I am helping, and even prouder of myself. I know I am a better person, a better mum, and a better wife too.
I can honestly say I wish I had done this many years ago, because I now know you can U turn your career at any damn age.