How I transitioned back into a traditional career (it involved some good advice I didn’t want to hear)

Major life update for me: I’ve gone back to work for someone else. 

I spent a long time believing I wouldn’t do this again, but I have a Monday - Friday 8:30-5 J-O-B job. And it feels… 

AMAZING.

Not every moment feels amazing. There have definitely been moments of boredom, frustration, and some stress about if I could hack it. Especially on my first day when I struggled (significantly) with using a Windows PC for the first time in over half a decade. (I may have asked a coworker how to find my files on my computer.) 

Fortunately, that phase has passed, and Google doesn’t get frustrated with me no matter how many times I repeat the phrase “screenshot PC shortcut”.

And now I’m left feeling… lighter. Taller. It’s like I was a middle schooler, weighed down by a backpack of books almost as big as I was, and I just took it off for summer.

Because as much as I loved having my coaching business for a while, and as grateful as I am that I had the time to do so, it wasn’t setting me up for the future family life I desire. Not that it couldn’t for someone else. It has worked for tons of folks… but it wasn’t going to for me. And that had been weighing on me for a while.

And since you might be feeling like something about your current situation isn’t serving you anymore, or you might know someone else in that boat… I thought I’d share a bit about how I decided what should come next for me.

For me, I felt a huge weight lift the moment I decided I was going to make a change. I’d toyed with the idea of switching up my career for a while, but the moment I declared “I’m doing it”, I felt a wave of relief.

But then, new tension (and a whole lot of thinking) started creeping in. 

What else was I qualified to do? What did I WANT to do? What would potential employers think I was capable of? I knew I wanted to do something technical. I’d really missed using that part of my mind. But would anyone be willing to pay me for that, when I hadn’t used it in over 5 years?

I used a lot of tools to help me figure it out. None of them really helped. My vision wasn’t clear.

So I went to see a spiritual mentor I trust.

And she said something that pissed me off.

“Bara, you need to quit THINKING about it. Stop trying to figure it out. Start looking for what’s out there and applying for stuff.”

She went on: “It’s like you’re standing at a hiking trail, and you’re looking up the weather. JUST START HIKING ALREADY!!!”

This was irritating. I do tend to check the weather as I’m lacing up my boots. How else will I know what layers to carry?!! 😆'

It was especially irritating because she was right.

The next day, my mindset shifted and I started looking at actual job posts.

I was really interested in working for the state because A) stability and benefits and B) I live near the capitol, and I’ve found my roots!!!! I love being close to family and am unwilling to move away.

So I plopped down on my couch, popped on the state website and typed in “engineer”. I didn’t think it was likely that I’d be qualified for an engineering job with the state, but decided I’d see for myself.

I started scrolling through the options, and did a double take when I saw the words “oil and gas”. WTF was an oil and gas job doing in Sacramento?

Apparently I exclaimed the expletive out loud, because I heard Sarah call out from the kitchen “what’s going on?”

I’LL TELL YOU LATER I NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT!

It turns out that there are jobs, right here in Sacramento, regulating the industry I used to work in. They were hiring for one of them, and the application was due in just a couple of days. 

Was I exactly what they were looking for? I wasn’t sure. But I knew that this job was perfect for me. So I had to see if I could make them believe that too.

There were many moments where I almost quit during the application process. My brain tried to convince me over and over again that I wasn’t qualified. I’m grateful that my sister, who works with the state and knows me well, coached me through it. And taught me all about the state hiring process and how to put myself in the best position to get the job. And for practice interviewing me. So. Many. Times.

I’m about three weeks into the job while writing this, and I know without a doubt that my overthinking mind was wrong. I am the perfect person for it, and it’s the perfect job for me.

I am so grateful I stopped analyzing the weather, and went for the freaking hike!

PS: I’m retiring from coaching but am planning to continue my speaking and workshops. If you know of an org looking for a speaker on The Self-Sabotage Solution or The Art of Working Well, reach out! And if you’re looking for a coach, also reach out! I have a wonderful network of incredible coaches, and would be happy to connect you with someone who’s the perfect fit.

PPS: After Sarah edited this she showed me that there’s a screenshot button on my keyboard. I’m getting better at the job every single day! 🤣