A Journey of Self-Discovery: Accomplishments and Little Wins During A Season of Change
Over the past number of months I’ve been in a nebulous, gray area of having more time and no time, catapulted into existence by a layoff. I’ve never had an experience like this before – and I’ve never been laid off. It’s like a wedding – the second you announce your engagement, people want to know WHAT IS THE DATE?! Nevermind the complex and mind-numbing number of tasks and planning that need to happen first – even before you get to the date part. Similarly, everyone’s first question after you’ve told them you’ve been laid off is ‘so what are you going to do next?!’
I don’t know.
I am a DOER. So when faced with my first non-work weekday, the very next day, I immediately sought out a networking event. I shook hands, smiled, worked my 2 minute elevator pitch… except I had a lot of trouble articulating what I’m an expert at, and what I’m looking for next. Because I’ve done a LOT of things.
You might call me a Renaissance woman.
One thing I did realize is that I’ve been riding someone else’s roller coaster for the last 5 years. I’ve made a lot of roller coaster analogies lately. ‘Well, I couldn’t ride the rollercoaster all the way to to the top (startup got acquired, we got paid out, etc.) if I wasn’t willing to also ride it all the way to the bottom’ (layoff). I also have truly been flying by the seat of my pants through twists, turns, loops and also screeching, jarring halts at the end of the line.
5 years ago I started out as the content marketing manager at a martech startup and quickly progressed through a content promotion into multiple demand gen roles and finally made my way to my 4th promotion within 5 years as VP of Organic Demand (overseeing global web, SEO, content, brand comms for the acquiring company). People asked if I could take things on and I always said yes. I climbed that ladder faster and more furiously than I ever have in my career. But it was a series of yeses to existing opportunities – not questions as to what I actually wanted to do.
SO. Here we are. And what does someone like me – an Enneagram 7 (an Enthusiast – aka, I am excited about life and ALL THE THINGS and trying and mastering new things, all the time, every second of the day) do with all that time? In addition to deep inner work with an executive coach, personal and professional branding work with a career coach and job search work, I’ve also been exploring a number of curiosities, passions and creative outlets. In no particular order here is a list of just a few of the things I’ve accomplished or explored over this period:
- Completed Stand Up 101 at Rise Comedy Denver
- Baked my first loaf of focaccia
- Hung my large-format photography in the Colorado School of Mines Beck Venture Center
- Read Permission to Rest
- Visited the Denver Botanical Gardens
- Found out I an am Enneagram 7
- Built out a 2-sided continuous gallery wall and a 9-photo grid gallery wall
- Started this website
- Built out my personal brand, The Zink Element
- Added product photography to my resume
- Started consulting in business operations and website marketing
- Volunteered with sustainability brands such as __
- Took a day trip to Evergreen
- Tried a Head Spa
- Planned two birthday parties
