Wednesday, January 19, 2011

On Coming Full Circle

2011 is off to a bit of a whirlwind start for me. My mind is still spinning over everything that has occurred. Yes, I have been nursing a heart ache, which really sucks, but thus far the good has far outweighed the bad.

The exciting news I alluded to last week is that I started a new position yesterday! I am still with my current employer, The Chariot, so it's an internal move but it's one that I am very excited about. As I've said in the past, 2010 was an interesting year career-wise. I left a job at The Psych Experiment and returned to The Chariot in April. The position I returned to was not a perfect fit - but it got my foot back in the door.

I worked hard the last 9 months and touched base with some of my contacts within the organization. I set up a lunch with a contact in November and came to find out that he had a position that he'd be hiring for - and he wanted ME to apply! The position is a great fit for me; it utilizes my MBA and Math degrees and will have a good balance of analytical work + communication. I might even get to do a little writing!!

There were a lot of moments last year where I asked God WHY he was allowing me to go through this difficult experience. I was haunted by what happened at The Psych Experiment and it took me a long time to recover from it. I know that's a vague explanation, but there are just some stories that we will never tell. But over the last 9 months, I have proved myself, healed, and have slowly, but surely, found my way back to being "confident, self-assured Lisa."

Life has sort of come full circle for me. I returned to a division of my company that I left when I went to The Pysch Experiment. Yesterday I walked into an office with friendly, familiar faces. I know my boss and what to expect for this position. It's going to be challenging and that intimidates me a bit - but I KNOW I can do it.

Wish me luck!

Have you ever gone through something difficult in your professional life? What helped you get through it? I got through it with the support of friends and family - I don't know what I would do without them!!

26 comments:

J said...

Everyone always says this, but everything happens for a reason or a purpose! And sometimes we can't see why or how it is going to work out but it does! Hope the job works out well for you!

abbi said...

Good luck with the new position. Sounds like a great fit for you.

Joey said...

My negative professional experience had more to do with not being able to find a career for myself. Then when I eventually made it to grad school, I freaked out. Literally. Put too much stress and pressure on myself. My family and friends helped and were there, especially my husband. Also, I got some outside help from a counsellor, which also made a world of difference.

Mandy said...

I am so, so glad that you have come full circle. I am also really excited to see what you do in this poistion, its going to be an amazing year for you.

When things go wrong, I almost always turn to my family and friends.

Maqry said...

Lisa,
Congratulations on your new position. It sounds as if it is a good match to the talents you bring to the job. Good for you.

Anonymous said...

Maqry= Mary Beth
Sometimes this computer it faster than my old fingers!

Unknown said...

Bravo!!!

Emily Jane said...

Oh fantastic, well done you! I have gone through some tough professional experiences - I got fired once, and where I am now I am always on a term position (we are funded year-to-year) so there's always the question at the end of March whether we'll get funded to keep my position. We didn't find out 'til March 31 last year and it was a tad stressful!

Best of luck in your new position!

Gracie said...

Congratulations! This is exciting news and sounds like the perfect fit.

Nora said...

So excited/happy/proud of you; you have definitely done a lot of growing and evolving over the last year which has been amazing as a friend to watch. I know you'll rock at your new position.

The job I have now, while with the same employer, is not the same in terms of duties & responsibilities as when I first started. I've gone through some big changes here and have loved every one of them. I look forward to the next iteration of changes that are sure to come later this year :)

Raquelita said...

Congratulations on the new position!

When things go wrong, I too rely on family and friends. I also allow myself the time to feel what I'm feeling, and to have those evenings with a bubble bath, a bottle of wine, and sappy movies or whatever it is I need.

Leigh said...

So excited for you Lisa! You deserve this great position after such a terrible time at your last position! :)

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

I'm so happy for you, Lisa!!! That is such good news! :)

I have gone through a couple tough situations at work. One in particular. The company I worked for right after college, and fell absolutely in love with, closed it's doors in January 2009. It has been the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my life. That might sound dramatic, but imagine watching something you love - like your home - be auctioned off, broken apart and sold or thrown away. As store managers we had to see the store being physically torn apart. It was heartbreaking. I will never forget that time in my life and I still think about it often!

Congrats on the new job! You deserve it so much, you're such a good person! :)

Amber said...

So excited for you :) Can't wait to get the full recap on the new position!!!

When I was a senior in high school the pool I was lifeguarding at made my life MISERABLE! Since I was still in school the only position I could hold was "on-call" (union) and they were always calling me in to work. They had this rule that you can only say "no" to work 3 times and then you get let go. Well, since it was my grade 12 year I had a lot going on (prom, grad etc.) and one day my boss called me in when I was literally in the middle of an appointment getting gel nails on. I said "no" and she freaked out on me and took away some of my scheduled shifts the next week. I went home bawling and my mom convinced me to quit and take a job at a smaller pool (that was less pay but more regular hours). BEST decision I ever made and I ended up working at that pool for three summers!

And this comment just got long :)

Love you and SO SO SO HAPPY for you! XO

Amy --- Just A Titch said...

As I think I've told you, I left teaching to try being a writer and came back after a few months. Coming back was the best choice I could have ever made and I'm SO happy that I did it. I think it's a real relief when you figure out your "purpose" in the workplace.

I hope your new position goes well!

Sarah said...

I'm so happy that for you that you're now doing something that makes you feel so much more confident, and more like yourself. I believe that everything happens for a reason, if only to make us appreciate what we have. Of course, it soooo much easier to say than to actually depend on!

Lauren @ Sassy Molassy said...

That's so exciting, Lisa! I'm so happy for you. Congrats on the department move and job change. It's cool that your company is big enough that you can shift into various divisions.

crystal said...

Yay! Im so glad to hear this :) Sometimes we have to go through the crappy parts of life so we can come back to the good stuff and give it the respect it deserves!

Marlys said...

I believe that we don't appreciate the good things in life unless we've experienced difficult times! There's an old adage that says, "If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you better!" You've come full circle - let the good times roll! Without hope we can't survive and you most certainly had hope! God bless you! I know you'll do well!

Stephany said...

Ah, I'm not sure I can call myself a professional yet so I've had a lot of up and downs on my part-time jobs. The preschool I was at before the one I'm at now was just awful. Every teacher seemed to be their own unit and didn't really talk to other teachers and it was really disjointed. In the 8 months I was there, we went through FOUR directors. Once, I went home for lunch and was THISCLOSE to not going back. I was SO HAPPY when I quit. (And I love the place I'm at now. Not for the long-term, but it's perfect for me now.)

Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...

You are such an anomaly for people of our generation. Even with a bad job market, so many people I know would have started looking for a new job the minute things felt sour (in your old position). They would've jumped at anything just to get out of their situation. The thing is, it's not necessarily going to be better somewhere else. Until you take some time to look within and think about what it is you really want... it'll be hard to ever be satisfied. I think you showed thoughtful restraint when it came to your old position - and it clearly paid in spades!

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

Yay :) So excited for you! This is great that you can be a company you know you like already and using the skills you want to use. I think a little bit of challenge at work is necessary to keep us from getting bored.

I have to say that my first year teaching was a very tough time in my professional life. My friends and family helped me through it, as well as a 1:1 aide that I had that year. We are still friends and we joke now about what an insane time that was. There are still some days that are very tough at my job, but I have a lot more confidence that I can get through most situations now. Most :) Knock on wood, I'm not asking for anything crazy!

Becky said...

So excited for your new position! You're going to shine, I know it!

Abby said...

Of Course you can do it, Lisa! There's nothing in this world you cannot conquer. Everything you've been through up to this point has shaped you into the strong, intelligent, balanced professional you are -- and this seems like it's going to be a perfect fit!!!

The best part is...you're doing what you're passionate about!

I'm currently in a challenge in my career right now -- getting people to take me seriously. I had a patient like totally crash on me last night, and Icould see it coming. I felt like when I told my supervisor & the Dr's they kind of brushed me off since I'm a new grad. But... hopefully after last night I proved that I am capable (just b/c I don't have that much experience....)

I'm so excited for you!!!!

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

The first 5 years of my professional life were really hard because it was next to impossible to get a full time teaching position in my city. I was a substitute teacher for 5 years, and never thought that I would ever get a full time permanent position, and be able to "start my life" and buy a house, and have kids, etc.. Finally I got a position :-)

Jeanie said...

Congratulations on your new position -- it sounds wonderful, and perhaps worth the waiting and wretchedness of the earlier situation.

I've had bosses I don't much care for and really didn't like but pretty much my professional experiences have been OK. I'm grateful -- I've had colleagues with different and not-too-great experiences.