I loved my job... and I hated my job... yes, it’s complicated.

Sitting here today, it's easy to recall so many things I loved about my job. The people, for one. I had the privilege of working with a group of hardworking, driven, creative, and dedicated individuals. Many of them are still friends, and we stay in touch after I left. Meetings often included laughter and camaraderie, even when we were tackling serious topics. I also thrived on the problem-solving that was an integral part of my job. The mental gymnastics required to work through complex challenges were something I genuinely enjoyed, and I miss that aspect. Finally, I deeply miss mentoring and coaching my team, watching them grow, succeed, and even move on to new opportunities. Seeing my team members reach their full potential, even if it meant they left my team, brought me real satisfaction.

When I focus on these positive aspects, it’s hard to remember how I reached a point where I felt I couldn’t survive another day in that job.

I spent years following the rules of corporate life and enjoyed many parts of that world. When I first entered the corporate sphere, I felt more at home than I had in many other parts of my life. It rewarded a side of me I always knew I had but wasn’t encouraged to express as a young girl (this could be a whole book on societal expectations and gender norms, but I digress). Yet, the more I leaned into this corporate persona, the less attention I paid to other essential parts of myself—the more tender aspects. The parts of me that valued solitude and deep thought, the parts that carried old wounds needing to be addressed.

Eventually, these neglected parts started to demand my attention. They didn’t just gently nudge me; they exploded, and I could no longer ignore them. That’s why I’m grateful I left my job. As I focus on these parts of myself, I feel more like me—all of me. I'm reconnecting with both the person I was in the corporate world and the person who exists in more private spaces. It’s through this process of healing and self-reflection that I can now look back on my years in Corporate America and honestly say, it was a great ride.

But here’s the thing—you don’t have to do what I did. In fact, I’m acutely aware that many people don’t have the luxury of walking away from their job. There are other ways to care for the parts of yourself that are neglected without leaving your career behind. The solution is different for everyone, and that’s part of what I do as a coach—help people discover and nurture the parts of themselves that need attention.

If this resonates with you, please reach out to see if working with me could be part of your solution. (Book an appt easily: https://calendly.com/unlockyou)