Getting To The Next Career “Yes”

The author’s photo with her sister-in-law at Hinterland 2021.

Saying “Yes” Is Groovy

Here’s what I have to say near the end of 2021. In the words of the Texas Indie band, Khruangbin, “Yeeeeeeesss.” Imagine this sound as if you mixed the voice of Prince, times three, with a repetitive, psychedelic vibe of the 60s and threw in some ethnic elements you can’t quite place. Then make the word “yes” last an almost uncomfortable amount of time. Repeat this until you become a bobble head version of yourself, stuck in a relaxing and confident groove, ready to win the day. The song is titled, “Evan Finds The Third Room.” I have no idea what it’s about, but I’m my pretty sure this music video on YouTube will make you smile. (Thank you, Hinterland 2021.)

Yes To Writing

Some feelings and experiences are hard to put into words, but I like trying. I like writing. I didn’t really see it until last year, although the signs were there. I secretly fed my creative side, pulling over my car to write down a line or writing wine-inspired poetry over the ocean. I never considered I could make writing more of my everyday life or even eventually get paid for it. In marketing, it was part of my job to make sure we communicated clearly, persuasively and on brand. So in a sense, I was writing, I just didn’t call it that. The rest of my creative side sat underfed, stuck in dark corners, waiting for the verbal volcano of my Covid experience to erupt.

I’ve made a decision to lean into my writing (yeeeeesss). It’s my zone, where time really does fly when I’m having fun. I want to move from writing just about my personal journey to be a voice for other topics. I’m ready to level up my skills through more formal training and feedback starting at the beginning of 2022.

Two Horses, At Least

The thing is, writing isn’t my only zone, and, as my wise career coach noted, I don’t only have to have one zone. I am also in the zone when I’m talking business and marketing and human behavior: debating, helping, dreaming and designing. I am so darn (trying not swear because Santa’s watching) excited to try to predict what new market shifts will happen to fill the vacuum created by Covid shifts. It’s going to be fun to watch, and also fun to be a part of it. As humans, we see opportunity in crisis. It’s what perpetuates us. So we will either be the ones creating those opportunities, driving change, or we will decide to participate in what other people are creating.

I’m going to lean into business and marketing consulting and pursue writing at the same time. I just need to shift the balance from before, allow for more than one thing to share the stage and find the right life design to do both. It turns out, contrary to Sweet Home Alabama lore, I can ride two horses with one ass (Um, what, Swear Jar??? We say “ass” in a Christmas carol). Putting that analogy “behind” us, I see how both of these areas can provide complementary value. By weaving them together into a new direction, the writing topics can feed the consulting and the consulting can feed the writing topics. And maybe, eventually, I will live on the beach and write poetry and songs, publish an enlightening historical fiction book or write an article of great cultural understanding for The New Yorker.

Harvest Time

I ran across a quote recently:

“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”

I discovered this quote has been associated with several different movements through the years, but I think it applies to Covid as well. Covid tried to bury us, but we are seeds, ready to grow again.

I am now harvesting seeds I’ve planted all year. So many things I said yes to at the beginning of the year are coming together: my career coach and the guidance from Happen To Your Career; Chief, the networking group I joined, and the wonderful people I’ve met there; reaching out to friends and talking about job ideas and sharing contacts; reaching out to people I’d never met; having lunch with new people and old contacts; following up on new ideas; interviewing at new places; so.much.reading, writing and podcast walks. All of these activities have converged, and I’m getting so close to purposely having a professional gig again (parenting pays only in hugs). I can feel it.

Subtle and Persistent Cues

My advice to others working on a career change or looking to shift within your current career: those subtle, flashing, persistent lights are the ones to watch. Some interests and desires won’t go away, like the cockleburs on my son’s pants, and it’s time to say yeeeeeeesss to them. Time to pop some of those seeds out of the darkness, be you and reach for the sun.