You And Your Vision Matter, So Keep Going

Life has given us a profound moment of reflection right now. There has never been a better time to gain clarity on what matters most to you. Even in the midst of uncertainty and sudden challenges, a cycle of change can bring opportunities for growth and re-invention. We can emerge into a new phase as better versions of ourselves.

This cycle of change reminds me of the job losses and uncertainty I experienced during my career. Six years ago, I landed a dream role as a Training Developer. Out of the blue the business was hit by a funding crisis and I was made redundant. At the time, I was five weeks pregnant.

I was in shock. And then it hit me…

“Who was going to employ me while I was pregnant?”

Although my dream was shattered, instead of feeling lost, I had a strong sense of hope. The reason? This wasn’t the first time I’d experienced a job loss. What had got me through in the past was resilience, adapting and responding to forced change, maintaining optimism, gratitude and trusting my intuition that the next role will reveal itself.

This kept me grounded and enabled me to stay in the driver’s seat of my vision.

At six months pregnant and still no sign of a new role, I felt the pull to take action and earn some money too. I decided to sell my wedding dress on Gumtree. I hadn’t even listed my dress before I accidentally stumbled across an ad looking for a Resume Writer. I had been writing resumes for more than 10 years, as a side gig, helping friends secure job interviews. This was a perfect fit for my skills, aligned with my values, passion and strengths, and I could work from home.

The moment I accepted this opportunity, everything changed. This started my business journey. I was able to turn my setbacks, passion and strengths into a way to help others feel confident and empowered to pursue their next career move as well.

Career journeys are unpredictable. But if you embrace self-awareness, trust the process, listen to your intuition and stay positive, you can transform into a stronger version of yourself.

I believe things often happen for a reason. Call it synchronicity or a coincidence, but 12 years ago I was inspired by a dream in which the words ‘Pink Movement’ jumped out at me. I was curious and wanted to find out what this meant. I discovered a magazine known as PINK. The following day, I saw the publication at a magazine stand. Suddenly there it was: PINK magazine! I knew I had to read it. I purchased PINK and soaked up all the inspiring stories about female leaders around the world, moving me to my core, and closed the magazine, thinking no more of it.

Decluttering my office more than a decade later, I found the original copy of PINK magazine. Flicking through, I saw how connected PINK is to my career and business journey. Finding the words to describe what I felt is hard. But reading the compelling stories of women making a significant contribution to people’s lives, my initial thought was how this magazine had made a deep impact in my life.

Because of this, I felt I had to share with Pink’s founder, Cynthia Good, how her purposeful decision to create and launch PINK magazine (now Little Pink Book) had inspired and empowered me in the most profound way.

But sharing the story made me feel vulnerable with her. Although, I didn’t let fear or the circumstances hold me back.

This is what I realized: It is important to embrace vulnerability and self-worth and NOT to avoid it.  Why? Because it is a success factor for personal growth and can bring us closer to experiences that bring purpose and meaning into our lives.

“Vulnerability is the core, the heart, the center, of meaningful human experiences.” –Dr Brené Brown

By Loretta Spatocco
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon

Based in Australia, Loretta Spatocco is a Career Alignment Coach, Resume Writer and Owner of Skills For Your Career, plus Founder of the Bring Your Dream Career to Life movement.