I was at an exciting point in my life. I lived in New York City, I had a job at a graphic design company as in house counsel and even did some design and branding work. I was involved in the arts scene, on a few boards, I had just gotten married.  

In a span of 5 years, my position was downsized, my brother died unexpectedly of an accidental drug overdose, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, I got divorced, I moved out of the city for a year only to eventually move back home to PA in December of 2019. And then, all of us went through a terrifically difficult pandemic with countless uncertainties, during which my mother passed away from cancer complications. 

Wow. Rough time. 

Yes, and also no.  

There’s no denying that all of these situations, especially in such close proximity to one another were difficult to process and still maintain a semblance of a functioning normal life. Somehow I did. To get through this time, there were many things I did well. There were also some things I could have handled better.  

There’s this saying by Nietzsche that we all know and I remember from my philosophy undergrad: “What does not kill me makes me stronger.” But I think it should say “wiser.”  

Sometimes we don’t need to be strong. Sometimes we need skills to just get through the day. We need to let others in who want to help. We need to find the opportunities amid the wreckage.  

There have been, within all this chaos, so many rock-solid islands of certainty and beacons of brightness. I met a lot of good people along the way and received support from family and old friends. I appreciated others more than ever. I learned that even when we want to shut down, and hide away, when it’s all too much, around the corner might be a new deeply fulfilling position. In my case, it was doing change management for UNICEF, influencing and customizing the way the organization helps millions of children. In an emotionally draining time, like sitting with your mother on a full day of chemo treatments, you just might meet your future wonderful fiancée, as I did.    

Whatever you’re going through, coping with loss, picking yourself up after suddenly losing a job, dealing with profound unknowns, positioning yourself to achieve a new fulfilling job, dealing with family dynamics, just mustering the strength to make it through the days, I’ve been there.  

I’ve also been graced with so many exciting things, like finding a new school and program of study, starting internships, setting out on a search for a new job, starting my own business, moving to new cities, joining new organizations. Starting on paths to achieve my vision. In addition to the skills I’ve learned in training I’ve taken to become a Board Certified Coach, I have the lived experience, the peaks and the valleys, that I bring to each conversation with every client. 

Figuring out your vision takes time and effort. I realized when I was between jobs, that whatever I did next would need to be something that made a positive impact on the world. I knew that for me, that was essential. So working for the UN’s children’s agency was a natural step in that direction. I still consult with UNICEF because the value of the work is rewarding and fits with what I know I need to do to feel fulfilled. However, nothing beats the one-on-one interaction. Building a relationship with a client, understanding their needs, hopes, concerns and desires, helping them find clarity, is for me the most rewarding. 

The highlight of my day is when a client gets the look of lightness and calm and says “wow, I feel so much better about this.” That’s what it’s all about.