I came to coaching feeling stuck.

For the past twenty years, I had built a career in museums. And while I still loved my organization, it had become clear that there were no more opportunities for me to grow there.

So I found myself asking a question I hadn't asked in a long time: what do I want next?

I came into the Career and Leadership Coaching program with an open mind, wanting to “shake the tree and see what fell out.” I knew I wanted a real change, not just a similar role somewhere else, but I didn't know what that looked like yet.

My work with my coach was instrumental in helping me understand who I am, my values, and what energizes me.

And through this process, I realized that my interest in environmental work had somehow gotten lost along the way. 

Earlier in my career I had a real passion for this work, but there was no career pathway available to me at that time. Through coaching, I was able to reconnect with this interest that had always been there, and see that a pathway was open to me when I least expected it. 

Looking back, I can see that my biggest hurdle was the box I had put myself in.

Once my coach and I started working together and updating my story and my materials, I began getting interviews for jobs I would have never thought possible.

So much of this process was about my mindset and building the self-confidence that I could actually do the work I wanted to do.

I was thrilled to join Rocky Mountain Conservancy as a Development Officer in late 2023. I'm now in my third year, and I love the work I get to do, the ways I’m learning and growing, and how I’m using so many transferable skills from my previous roles to engage with our donors.

This work is such a great fit for my lifestyle too: I'm out in the park at least once a week with donors, and I have the flexibility to work from home. 

Shortly after I started this role, someone told me I looked different and asked if I’d changed something.

And the only thing I’d changed was my job! It was so apparent how happy and fulfilled I was, that people could literally see it on my face.

If you feel ready for a change in your career, I recommend getting started on the process as soon as you can. Don't wait until it becomes a crisis. You’ll benefit from the time, space, and support to really think about what you want next. 

And my top advice to anyone considering coaching is that you have to be ready to really do the work, because it is work.

This process is transformational and it’s an investment in yourself, in so many ways. And you're worthy of it!