I Am a Nurse!
I was driving to an appointment in my car this afternoon. As I was riding along, I was thinking about the parts of what I do and my business that I like, and the parts of my business that are becoming a bit more of a burden. Among the things that still energize me some 13 years after I was certified as a coach, is the one-to-one interactions with my clients. Whether I am having a good day, or not so good day, I always feel my energy rise when I prepare and work through a session with a client. My mind gets laser focused on asking questions that will help to bring out of them, the answers they need to identify next steps to move them forward in their job search process.
In December of 2021, a dear person in my extended family, Louise, passed away from Parkinson’s disease. Louise is the mom of my sister-in-law. The last 18 months of Louise’s life became very difficult as she was confined more and more to home, had trouble breathing, and was not able to do the things she loved. Among those items was participate in the activities of the church of which she was a part for many years.
As Louise’s health worsened, her friends would come to her house to visit. Among them was a gentleman named Fred whom she knew from the church activities. Fred did one of the eulogies of Louise at the services for her passing. Fred told a story how when he visited Louise, he was recounting with her about her life, and how she had dedicated her career to helping others through her career in nursing. Fred explained how he had said to Louise, “You were a nurse for so many years.” To that statement Louise replied, “I AM a Nurse!” Even bedridden, not able to move like she once had, Louise knew an important thing about life. Namely, even when you may stop doing the profession you did for so many years, (whether because you become physically unable to do it, or because you choose to step away and concentrate on other aspects of your life), that occupation or vocation that you did stays very much a part of you. That is particularly true, if it was something you truly enjoyed doing every day that you did it.
As I said in the opening paragraph, I still get a charge out of my coaching sessions with clients. Even before sessions, if I am helping to prepare a resume or cover letter for them, make suggestions on how to upgrade their Linked In profile, or determine from my notes where they are in the job search process, and how to build the next stages of our search strategy, that part of the work tasks that I do, still is what I look forward to the most.
This has become more evident to me, especially over the last 2 ½ years. Much like others, the pandemic and its aftermath has had impacts on how I work. Previously, the large majority of my clients were local from my home state and area in New Jersey. Now, pretty much all of them are from out of the area. The outplacement providers for which I work have changed the outplacement plans that they offer to their clients, changing many of the coaching arrangements I have with them. With clients not being in the area, the number of one to one, face to face sessions, has lowered to a bare minimum. Zoom online sessions or telephone calls predominate my work. I can go several days without leaving my home, unless I have an appointment scheduled, (usually of a personal nature).
I know that many of you may face the same thing in that which you do as part of your occupation or vocation. And, perhaps like me, there can be days it saps your energy. If it does, what I am finding is helping me is to separate out the things that I love about what I do, from the things that I don’t care to do. Look to make a plan, to gradually move from the items that I don’t like to do, or at least minimally question are they bringing value to the work that you do and enjoy doing. And, above all, I think back to the lesson I learned from Louise. “I AM A COACH.” I love being a Coach, and helping to work with my clients to guide them with the strategy to move their lives and career journeys forward. And, I intend to continue to stay clear as to what functions I do make that happen, and which that I do, that don’t make that happen. Then, I’ll need to decide how to transition from those unproductive functions.
