Curtis just emailed to say he has finalized his new job. He starts in a couple of weeks. Yeah! I love celebrating these wins!
His new role emerged from, and was constructed through, conversations he had with friends and new acquaintances. And in a trend I hope we see more of, Curtis’s new role includes time for participating in two other organizations. His new role extends his career path in a new direction, assures the former direction is still available - at an advanced level, and meets several of his personal interests and life objectives.
Reflecting on his journey, I’m reminded of my own saying:
Every transition has a gift in it.
Usually long transitions like Curtis’s, have more than one gift. A paycheck is an obvious one, but people almost never count that when they list the benefits that came during their transition.
It’s rewarding to see a list of all the ways you benefitted during your time between professional roles. If you have recently completed a career transition, you might want to consider some of these thought prompts to gauge the value of your own transition.
What are the gifts of your transition?
Who were your guides? Who spoke for you, kept your spirits up and told you things you didn’t know about yourself? What were those things? Who guided you to new people, ideas, ventures? Who suggested maybe an option was NOT the way?
What new strengths or talents did you develop?
What relief have you found from not exercising some other strengths?
How have you lightened up? What relief have you found from forgiveness, letting go of the past, leaving a long commute behind, giving up a bad habit? What healing did you receive?
Who are you really, really glad you got to spend time with? What difference did it make? (Did you smile just now? Feel a tear in your eye?)
What fresh perspectives have you gained? What awareness do you have that you are living life to its fullest? What do you do or have now that you longed for?
What new relationships grace your life?
What’s new in your physical surroundings? Your health? Your feelings? Your finances?
Now that you know what your gifts are, how are you celebrating?
Congratulations on your new job!
We’d love to hear your story of transition and gifts. Won’t you share with us in the Comments section?
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