Career Transition

Career Focus
12 December 2021

Welcoming the new, Saying Goodbye to the old

I stood in front of the company Town Hall audience as the tears welled up in me. All my planned thoughts flew out the window – the thank yous, the welcoming of my replacement for the role I was exiting – as I absorbed the fact that I was leaving this company, these people, and the profession of HR altogether. I felt sad and vulnerable. I knew I was moving on to new things but I needed this moment to say good-bye to what I was leaving behind.

I had spent years learning my profession, working in different industries and with different types of people, full time/casual, hourly/executive. And I knew that, underneath it all, the industry or type of person was less important than the recognition that fundamental human needs don’t change. We all want safety, belonging, and dignity. As the company Town Hall ended, people approached me to wish me the best, offer a hug or kind word and I was reminded of why I chose Human Resources in the first place. I wanted to take care of people. What I didn’t realize is how they took care of me.

Relationship. We are all in relationship with one another and with the larger whole. Safety, belonging, and dignity comes from practising The Golden Rule. Treat others the way we want to be treated. Here I was, exposed and vulnerable, and I felt embraced with a huge hug. Or “huggle” as my son called it when he was little, by combining the words hug and cuddle.

Saying good-bye was hard. It meant an ending, closure, that I had wholly anticipated but not accepted. After all, there’s always more to learn, more ways to grow. I recognized the challenge of letting go – releasing resistance – felt different intellectually than emotionally or physically. Physically, my chest tightened to hold in those tears. Emotionally, I felt overwhelmed by strong feelings because I was holding them in. The result was predictable: my thinking brain, the pre-frontal cortex involved in rational decision-making, turned off.

As I experienced those emotions and physical sensations by breathing deeply, I eventually settled down, said some words, and gradually felt better. My brain came online again. I knew I was making the right decision by becoming a career coach. I knew it in my heart and mind. Taking care of people didn’t end with my last HR role; it was adopting a new form.

I will miss the people I worked with very much. They gave me the gift of recognizing why I chose HR in the first place. I made eye contact with various people and remembered the connections we made as they filed out of the room. And then it was over. Well, almost over. Turns out the joke was on me – it was the first Town Hall that day. I had to do it three more times! And yes, I teared up each and every time.

Feature photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash

You have to be open minded in order to grow. The coaching that Laura gave me opened my eyes to what and how I was doing things and allowed me to see the bigger picture. I am not done yet but I already see the changes in my everyday life.
MM

I think coaching is a great way to help you clear your mind when you get stuck with overwhelming situations or when stepping into changes in your life.
MO

Coaching is life changing. It pushes you outside your comfort zone and challenges your perspectives. It is highly motivating and the exercises and techniques used are both fun and informative. I think the main benefits of coaching are to see yourself, others and the world more clearly. I think coaching is valuable to anyone regardless of where you are in your life or career.
LE

I honestly never thought I’d need a coach. I thought coaching was for CEOs and industry VIPs. I didn’t think it was for the “little guys” (i.e. me). Now, I’m of the belief that everyone – yes, EVERYONE – needs a coach. Coaching has really benefitted me and I’m so grateful to have had that time with Laura. It’s changed my life!
VB

Laura is very patient. She took the time to understand what was causing me to be stuck where I am today and help me build a better vision so I can continue to grow.
MM

I think Laura’s coaching was what I had been waiting for. Laura was so approachable, kind, and open. Her willingness to help and support made a difference for me. I found in her coaching new strategies, ideas, and perspectives that I could incorporate into my goals and objectives that I didn’t see before.
MO

Laura is an incredibly intuitive, positive and caring coach. Her techniques helped me recognize both my strengths and areas I might want to explore as I embark on the next chapter of my career. The exercises she employed were instrumental in providing self perspective and challenging my frames of reference.
LE

Laura is a natural coach. Her probing and compassionate questions helped me learn about myself: my value system, interests, goals and strengths.
LM

Coaching sessions with Laura gave me new perspectives on how to process specific feelings and situations in life. She showed me how to sit with my emotions, acknowledge them, and then use visualization strategies to move through them. I now feel more confident and in control of how I choose to walk through life.
CP

From the beginning, Laura put me at ease, creating a safe, open space for me to talk and share freely without fear of judgement. I loved the variety of approaches she used depending on the topic we were working on and it was fun being able to try out things I wouldn’t have considered before! With Laura’s coaching, I substantially grew my confidence in the workplace, overcame fears, dealt with issues I’d been carrying around for many years and, most importantly, learned to value myself and define a path forward into the future.
AG

Laura’s coaching was a breath of fresh air and EXACTLY what I needed at that point of my life. I didn’t realize how impactful coaching was going to be, but by the end of the sessions together, I left feeling refreshed, inspired and genuinely curious about what my future held for me. Because of Laura and her coaching, I believe I became a better person – someone who is more open-minded, someone with a clearer focus, and someone who is willing to explore opportunities and possibilities far more than I ever did before.
VB

I engaged Laura for coaching as I took on an expanded role leading an asset management company in Canada. As a female, I knew I would be a role model and had high expectations of myself. I was feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

In our first few coaching sessions we worked through exercises that allowed me to reflect on my purpose, leadership style and what mattered most to me. I continue to be grounded by the clarity I achieve in my coaching sessions – allowing me to be resilient and confident when challenges came my way.
OS