Her boss resigned, and no replacement was hired. My client J and her colleague D did their best to fill in the gap, but they couldn’t keep up with the increasing chaos.
D resigned in frustration. J was in a no-win situation: her best work was getting her nowhere.
As the work crisis unfolded, J socked away some savings. She knew things might become intolerable before she’d had a chance to line up a new position. She was questioning whether she wanted to continue in the same line of work, and knew she might need time to think about how she really wanted to contribute her extensive talents and experience to the world.
Then, despite having no next job lined up, she chose to resign.
J savored her freedom from the constraints of her work environment. “I gave myself the gift of just ‘being’”, she said. She visited her grandmother in England and attended the wedding of a good friend in Brunei. Her travels enriched her and allowed her to live into the high value she places on loving connection with friends and family.
Then she came home.
J began to feel anxious. A highly independent and responsible woman, she felt uneasy as her bank account dwindled. Yet part of her knew that was a trap. Allowing her fear to take over would erode the joy she’d taken in her travels, and stain with desperation the person she wanted to be as she prepared for job interviews.
We talked about the greatest gifts she’d gotten from her time off so far. J identified that she’d particularly valued her time flexibility, her growth from her travel experiences and the family and friend connections she’d nurtured. I helped her see that what she valued about her time away wasn’t dependent on being away from home. She could continue to create flexibility, growth and connection even as she began to hunt for a job.
J’s doing beautifully at it. She’s growing in trust and patience with herself as she takes time to envision the position she’d really love, rather than settle for a job just to bolster her bank account. She’s joyfully reconnecting with people in her professional network as she seeks just the right opportunity. And while she takes action daily, she reserves time in her schedule to meaningfully connect with family. They in turn have offered her a place to stay should she need it, to lighten her financial concerns. Her unshakable priority on warm family connection has come back to her as a safety net to get her through this challenging passage.
I have no doubt – and more importantly, J is learning to trust – that she will be well cared for until she lands the job of her dreams.
After cancer, you may be feeling way “behind” physically, socially, professionally or financially. The financial setback is often one of the toughest: your bank account balance confronts you in black and white, as if it represents the truth not only of your present, but of your future.
As they say, it just ain’t so.
When you prioritize growth, loving connection and whatever else brings you joy over your fear, the Universe notices. It mobilizes resources you may not have even known about to help you shift your circumstances. And you get to enjoy life much more in the process 🙂
(Are you thinking “easier said than done”? I can help.)
Just think how you’ll feel when you see your bank account balance going up instead of down.
You are more loved than you know,
Dr. Shani
*****
Talk with Dr. Shani
It’s my joy to offer you a personal, complimentary Clarity Conversation of up to 45 minutes. You’ll come away clearer about what you’ve been struggling with, what you’d love your life to look like, and the best next steps to get you there.