I didn't take the traditional path...
the story of my wonky career and why you can start at any point
With just 3 GCSE's, limited experience and a toddler, my career began without a roadmap - but not without ambition. Through perseverance, personal development, and transformational coaching, I rewrote my story. Now, I help others do the same.
When I started out, I was at a loss in terms of my 'purpose' but when I became a young mother, my world became bigger and I found my initial purpose - to be a good parent and role model for my son. I wanted a steady and reputable profession and 'fell' into HR as I was 'good with people' and so, began my bumpy ride.
First, I worked on building up my academic skills - night classes, college and university, whilst working part-time and raising my son. I was full of self-doubt as I hadn't followed the traditional A-level route and didn't feel capable but I surprised myself.
Next, I worked on building up my HR experience. However, I struggled for 18 months to get an initial HR role. I was repeatedly told that I was over-qualified with no relevant experience. This was both frustrating and disheartening but I persevered, I'd worked too hard to take no for an answer! Finally, I got a foot in the door.
That foot in the door led to identifying my career purpose and a highly successful HR career spanning 16 years before I started my own business, something my 19 year old self never could have envisaged in her wildest dreams.
There were numerous challenges along the way - you haven't worked in X industry, you don't have enough X experience, you haven't managed a team / big enough team before, etc. and then those challenges I placed on myself, self-limiting beliefs that I was carrying from my teenage years (academic failure, young mother).
I was plagued by imposter syndrome throughout most of my HR career - I'd come into it late, I felt like I was playing catch-up and every promotion felt like luck, right place / right time. I had chronic self-doubt despite my strong performance. I was constantly terrified of being 'found out' or 'failing', afraid to speak up in meetings or challenge others in authority, I had difficulty asserting healthy boundaries like being able to 'say no' instead of people pleasing. Eventually I burnt out. At the time, I didn't know it was imposter syndrome.
The turning point for me was coaching. Working with a coach shifted my life entirely - she helped me to learn how to ✅ appreciate and value myself, which in turn increased my ✅ self-belief and confidence.
Coaching helped me to understand my core values and strengths and to accept my career achievements as a result of my ✅ capability, determination, tenacity and personal resilience, not luck or right place / right time. We dug deep to understand where my imposter feelings stemmed from and to reframe unhelpful thoughts into empowering ones using various strategies and tools.
I developed a ✅ growth mindset and updated my unhelpful narrative to a more positive and true account which enabled me to be bolder and braver and I've never looked back since!
That's my 'why' for training as a Professional Coach - I'm a real life case study for ✅ overcoming self-doubt and ✅ making the impossible possible. So, if you want a cheerleader in your corner, someone who creates a trusted space for meaningful transformation, book a free discovery call today.
On a personal level, I love travelling and days out walking with my husband, art, photography and Latin dancing. As well as spending time with my family and friends.
