Day 2. It's windy and cold outside. I'm here in the country in Rhode Island, alone, isolated -- and working. I'd like to feel like that wind is blowing through me and pushing out all the negativity and making room for some positive, new thoughts and ideas.
Had another disappointment (opportunity?) yesterday regarding a potential consulting opportunity that could have led into a full-time job. Do I really want a full-time job? I think so. I know it will take some adjusting, since I've had gobs of free time to do whatever I please and I can work in my underwear if I please. Is man's rejection really God's protection? I'm kind of tired of the consulting life and the lack of structure. Think I need more structure in my life. It seems to be emotionally stabilizing when I get it. I'm tempted to take anything that comes my way at this point, though I need to be patient, discerning and hope for the type of work that will be meaningful, fulfilling and interesting for me. I'm reading Marsha Sinetar's book "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love." http://www.marshasinetar.com/ It's interesting and inspirational and feels very much like she's writing about me. The last time I had a career crisis, (my second mid-life crisis), I went to a workshop at Kripalu http://www.kripalu.org/, a center for yoga in the Berkshires. It was a five-day workshop, where I met Sinetar and David Whyte http://davidwhyte.bigmindcatalyst.com/, a poet who wrote "The Heart Aroused" (Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America). I had been in a full-time job in PR at the time and was on my way out, but wasn't sure which way to go. The workshop helped and so did the yoga. Not long after that I left my job and started my own consulting business, which is still in existence, but the well has dried up -- partly because I haven't been dipping the bucket much. Got a little lazy, having had one very good client.
I spent a lot of time yesterday looking at blogs. Googled "meaningful work blogs" and came up with 1,320,000 entries. Mine was not on the top of that list. There's a lot of literature out there though and many people apparently looking for the same thing. Also checked out Monster and some other job sites. Sent an application to a recruiter for a job representing a law firm - director of external communications. Do I really want that? The money's good, but again, is that the best reason to follow that opportunity? Could be interesting work and it's worth exploring. Also found another post on another site that was offering "meaningful work." It's a company that aligns corporations with social causes. Seems a lot closer to what I'm looking for. They requested an impossibly thoughtful and engaging cover letter with my resume. I got creative and put it together last night and figure I've got nothing to lose (except the job opportunity) by sending in a very unusual, provocative, compelling letter. That's what they asked for. We'll see how much they meant it.
One of my greatest frustrations with this current search is the lack of response that people provide once I take the time and thought and put in the energy to respond. It baffles me that people are so unresponsive. A form letter even? Is it my age? I do believe that it may have something to do with it at times. Some are looking for seasoning. Others may look at it as "expensive," "low energy," "wants a life."
Anyway, I'm back on the road again today and feel like I made some progress yesterday. My cash flow is eroding and I fear that I'll have to start dipping into investments. Don't want to do that, but what is a reserve for anyway? Gotta get to work. It's 11:30 already! That's one of the problems when there's no structure and I have nothing to do when I wake up in the morning. Well, there's always something to do, but there's no one cracking a whip behind me, not that I want that either. I have to remember that I've had a successful career and that this blip is just a little time in the desert. A time to renew, reinvent, rediscover, and find something that will provide more satisfaction than what came before. Found this site that may help to stay positive during the trial http://careerencouragement.typepad.com. Stay tuned.
Had another disappointment (opportunity?) yesterday regarding a potential consulting opportunity that could have led into a full-time job. Do I really want a full-time job? I think so. I know it will take some adjusting, since I've had gobs of free time to do whatever I please and I can work in my underwear if I please. Is man's rejection really God's protection? I'm kind of tired of the consulting life and the lack of structure. Think I need more structure in my life. It seems to be emotionally stabilizing when I get it. I'm tempted to take anything that comes my way at this point, though I need to be patient, discerning and hope for the type of work that will be meaningful, fulfilling and interesting for me. I'm reading Marsha Sinetar's book "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love." http://www.marshasinetar.com/ It's interesting and inspirational and feels very much like she's writing about me. The last time I had a career crisis, (my second mid-life crisis), I went to a workshop at Kripalu http://www.kripalu.org/, a center for yoga in the Berkshires. It was a five-day workshop, where I met Sinetar and David Whyte http://davidwhyte.bigmindcatalyst.com/, a poet who wrote "The Heart Aroused" (Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America). I had been in a full-time job in PR at the time and was on my way out, but wasn't sure which way to go. The workshop helped and so did the yoga. Not long after that I left my job and started my own consulting business, which is still in existence, but the well has dried up -- partly because I haven't been dipping the bucket much. Got a little lazy, having had one very good client.
I spent a lot of time yesterday looking at blogs. Googled "meaningful work blogs" and came up with 1,320,000 entries. Mine was not on the top of that list. There's a lot of literature out there though and many people apparently looking for the same thing. Also checked out Monster and some other job sites. Sent an application to a recruiter for a job representing a law firm - director of external communications. Do I really want that? The money's good, but again, is that the best reason to follow that opportunity? Could be interesting work and it's worth exploring. Also found another post on another site that was offering "meaningful work." It's a company that aligns corporations with social causes. Seems a lot closer to what I'm looking for. They requested an impossibly thoughtful and engaging cover letter with my resume. I got creative and put it together last night and figure I've got nothing to lose (except the job opportunity) by sending in a very unusual, provocative, compelling letter. That's what they asked for. We'll see how much they meant it.
One of my greatest frustrations with this current search is the lack of response that people provide once I take the time and thought and put in the energy to respond. It baffles me that people are so unresponsive. A form letter even? Is it my age? I do believe that it may have something to do with it at times. Some are looking for seasoning. Others may look at it as "expensive," "low energy," "wants a life."
Anyway, I'm back on the road again today and feel like I made some progress yesterday. My cash flow is eroding and I fear that I'll have to start dipping into investments. Don't want to do that, but what is a reserve for anyway? Gotta get to work. It's 11:30 already! That's one of the problems when there's no structure and I have nothing to do when I wake up in the morning. Well, there's always something to do, but there's no one cracking a whip behind me, not that I want that either. I have to remember that I've had a successful career and that this blip is just a little time in the desert. A time to renew, reinvent, rediscover, and find something that will provide more satisfaction than what came before. Found this site that may help to stay positive during the trial http://careerencouragement.typepad.com. Stay tuned.
1 comment:
Thanks for referencing the Career Encourgement Blog and for your comments on my site (I will respond to them on the site) I hope my blog encourages you - that's what I put it there for!
Sounds like you are going through a very normal time of re-evaluation of your work and the place that you want it to hold in your life. These things are never easy, but please know that you are not alone. As you build and implement a plan for the next phase of your career, things will move forward for you.
Hang in there!
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