Well, after 8 months of self-imposed recovery from burnout at work, I have spent the last two months sitting on the feeling that its time for me to take that next step in my own growth and development at work. I have loved every minute of my training role, from the complete open-endedness of the problem space to the opportunity to work with an elite, like-minded team that just... "gets shit done". We officially launched our big initiative live in June and since then, this growing sense inside me has been, "you have completed this part of the journey, its time for you to move on".
For years (decades), I have blocked this voice inside me. I could blame societal pressures and social cues, but ultimately I made a choice to stay content with the status-quo and to play small. But the older I get, the more that desire to play small has faded. That isn't why God designed me and its my job in this lifetime to actually try to accomplish what he DID design me for. And that, my friends, is what that voice is inside me, the cue to steer me toward God's path.
So I'm really focusing on listening these days. And I fully believe there are signs along the way, if you are tuned in.
Sign 1: 4 weeks ago, something happened at work that really shook me up. And it was enough of a shock that I recognized it as sign 1 that maybe it was time to make a move on my path. So I reached out to my network to see what other job opportunities were available on the horizon. I know long term that I'd like to be positioned for international travel roles (shocker i know!), so my discussions centered on opportunities in other areas of the company, namely Program Management and Sales/Marketing. After several discussions, I decided I'd wait a little longer for the right opportunity.
Sign 2: 3 weeks ago, one of my friends reached out with an open requisition for a Program Manager role in a completely different business unit from the place I've lived my entire career at RC. I read the role, thought on it a long while, and came back to same thought as before... I'll just wait.
Sign 3: 2 weeks ago, I got a call from another friend, in the SAME business unit, asking if I'd be interested in an engineering leadership position in this SAME business unit. Well folks? For me, 3 signs is the charm... I knew this was where I was supposed to be going. But I had also decided when I moved to my current training role in January that my next move needed to be something other than engineering, 17+ years is enough of one viewpoint. So when I got off the phone, I updated my resume and applied to the Program Manager role.
And yesterday? I accepted a new position as a Program Manager on a big strategic program, in a role I've never done. I'll be going back full-time in a week, with Bella's blessing. My amazingly supportive parents have agreed to help me as I make this transition back to a challenging full-time role, thank GOD for my village.
And thank you GOD for the signs! I'm listening and I'm ready!
Congrats!
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