Career change presents many opportunities for personal growth, especially when it is done in the context of exploring who you are and how you want to contribute to the world. The more clarity you can get on these issues, the closer you are to defining your life purpose and creating a life with more meaning and purpose. There are many authors who have written about a "purpose-filled" life. I have read a few, although at the time I didn't recognize this message in their work.
But I believe if we are not growing we are living a form of death during our life, and I want the important people in my life to be able to fully live and achieve their highest potential (even though they will feel some inevitable discomfort and hit some bumps along the road). I also want to help other people in this way, which is why I have defined my life purpose as "helping people maximize their personal potential and contributing to increased consciousness, peace and love on the planet." And I currently intend to do this through my work as a coach in the field of career exploration and management and personal development.
So what does all of this have to do with losing my voice? Growth in one are of your life often impacts another area. Growth involves change, and change, whether "good" or "bad" produces some loss. And with any loss there is some grief. And grief requires intense inner work to process, which for me left me with no voice to speak "out" until I could work through that process.
I am willing to share this very personal process to help others in career or personal growth transition. It is risky, but I think it is worth it.
Teresa
P.S. On a lighter note, I wanted to write about a very special moment that I shared with my younger son yesterday. We live on a large lot, approximately 2/3 acre, and there are many portions of it (okay, most of it) that are left to its own grooming devices. In the back yard, over the septic drainage field, an interesting collection of weed "flowers" are sprouting up as a result of the mild February weather we are experiencing in Texas.
My son and I took a break from jumping on the trampoline to go view these plants up close. We blew on dandelions and watched several bees gathering pollen off of a grouping of yellow flowers. After a while, we noticed that the bees were "sprouting" yellow clusters on their back legs. I realized that I was seeing for the first time what the bees do with the pollen they collect. It apparently collects and attaches to their back legs, which will drop onto the appropriate plant part as they fly around and "do their thing."
My son and I observed the bees' activity together and discussed what we were witnessing. These observations, together with The Bee Movie, represent my formal education about pollination by bees. It is not a very scientific understanding, but I am happy to have a little more insight. But more importantly, I was happy for the connection I experienced with my son. We were fully present with each other, enjoying the moment. And it was special.
