“Reinvention”- It is a word I use alot. After my cancer treatment was over, I reinvented my look, shorter blonder hair and leaner body. I reinvented my diet: more fruits and vegetables; less sugar and fat; no red meat; no fried foods. I reinvented my business, now called The Connected Table, with new, streamlined and more alternative forms of marketing and promotion. And I have been working on reinventing other areas of my life, as a consultant, advocate, mentor and writer. We all have the potential to reinvent ourselves if we choose to do so. You just have to want to do it, aim at the goal and focus. It may take time, but never lose sight of the goal.
If you wake up each day and the activities you do and the responsibilities have fit you like a bad pair of pants. If you end the day tired, unfulfilled and feeling stuck. If you feel like you are at a dead end, a critical transition, a state of flux or taking steps backward, these are the signs. It may be time for a reinvention intervention. I have been there. Many of my friends have. What about you?
Today’s post is dedicated to my mother, who celebrated her birthday this past weekend. I call her the “mother of reinvention.” She was a working mother at a time when her peers in Chattanooga stayed home, raised their children and hosted luncheons. The husbands worked; the wives volunteered. When I was very young, my mother worked as a professional speech therapist at a nursery for deaf children. At night she studied for a masters degree in psychology. After earning her degree, she worked as a psychologist with the mentally retarded for several years. It was both rewarding, challenging and also draining. In midlife she left the field, trained to sell life insurance and made the million dollar round table. During all this time she volunteered and raised funds for numerous charitable and community causes and served on their boards: theater, library, ballet, symphony, opera, health causes. She helped raised money to build a children’s community theater and wrote and produced a children’s play, “The Purple Princess.” She realized she missed teaching and working with young people and returned to it, this time as an adjunct professor teaching public speaking at the local university. She started a column covering community, social and charitable events for the local newspaper. She continues teaching, writing and serving her community to this day, more fulfilled than ever and widely recognized for her work, her community involvement and her philanthropy. She is a big personality in a small town where she has helped to make a difference.
This is what I have learned watching her and listening to others who successfully reinvent their lives: Do what you love and love what you do. And if you do not, move on to something else. Don’t wallow in self pity; don’t wait for opportunity to be handed to you. Speak up; reach out; connect. Self worth is more important than net worth. Having a passion and a purpose shape your personality. Taking the time to give back helps you move forward and beyond petty concerns. A setback is temporary unless you choose to settle into it and let it define your life. Often it is the setback that propels you forward to force you to make a change.
I think it is OK to have multiple callings and multiple careers. I am always amazed at people who manage to do the same thing day in and day out all of their lives and then retire. I have always fantastized about trying different careers the way some people try different outfits- which one, or which of several, will fit my personality?
There are numerous “life coaches” and “career coaches” who specialize in helping people reinvent their lives. There are articles with profiles of women and men who have done this successfully. I listen and I read. Then I go with my own approach. I am looking at my life path and my career path like my closet: toss out what no longer fits or is outdated (e.g., bad clients, dead end work, toxic environment, energy suckers). Retool the things you have that can be given a new look or a new use (e.g., your skills, your priorities). Add things that give you an exciting new look (take a course, volunteer in an area that interest you; redo your resume to reflect your new you). Accessorize creatively (e.g., reach out and make new connections in new areas that interest you).
I have spent the last several years planning my reinvention, building the next stage of my life. I was sidestepped only slightly by a year of cancer treatment; in fact, the diagnosis only reinforced how precious time is and how important it is to invest your energies in spending it well.
What’s holding you back from moving forward?
