About 18 months ago, my position was eliminated and my life would be changed forever. It wasn't totally unexpected, and on some levels it was a relief. For you see, I had a job that compromised my core values of work-life balance. The work was rewarding but the personal toll of long hours and endless travel was stressful. As a single mother, and the daughter of an elderly parent, I found myself waiting for the next long weekend so that I could enjoy my family. I began to realize that soon, the nest would be empty and with many of my close friends losing parents, there were no guarantees of how long loved ones will be with us. And then it happened... I received the news that as a result of strategic downsizing my position was being eliminated. The unusual calm that I experienced upon hearing the news caught me off guard. Feeling liberated, I began a journey of self-discovery that included getting in touch with me. I began to take quiet walks around the lake, purchased a laptop that allowed me to go anywhere and work, like parks and the beach. My first 'official' week of freedom was celebrated with a heat wave in San Francisco, and I recall the news reporting the number of people who called in sick to take advantage of the warm weather and thinking 'I used to be one of those people lamenting the fact I was stuck in an office on a day when I would rather be at the beach'. I was able to do things during the day that I used to cram into a 2-3 day weekend. I began to enjoy life five days a week instead of trying to 'cram life' into the weekend. I started to pay attention to my own bio-rhythms.

To keep myself motivated, I began to volunteer at my daughter's school. I am an educator. I am a parent. As time went on, and that dream job did not materialize, I went through the stages of grief (around the job loss) and I noticed how most of us balance work with parenting. There were days when I had my own personal 'pity party'. I became aware of my support systems, and that even in the midst of unemployment, there were constant reminders of how blessed I was. I also recognized that my passion for living and helping others is what motivated me to 'spice up my life'.

During a business trip, I met a life coach who changed my life. We began a conversation about parenting and coaching. She was a Certified Professional Coach. When I showed interest, she recommended a program. Upon returning home, I enrolled in a program that launched my journey to becoming a Certified Professional Coach. In January 2010, I completed the program. I have found my voice! Three people planted the seed that I would be a good coach. In my previous position, one of my responsibilities was leadership coaching. However, upon losing my job, I was not open to receive that message because I was determined to find an organization that was aligned with my values. While I had done professional coaching in leadership, I realized that every decision that I have made as a parent, since before my daughter was born, has set her on a journey of success and personal empowerment. The fear factor was letting go of society's definition of security (a steady check) and taking a leap of faith to become the master of my own fate. I want to share my gift with others. I want to share 'best practices' with leaders, teachers, parents and young people who are open to innovation and equity. Our society will not heal until we all take responsibility for one another. I want to empower others to stop the 'blame game' and 'be the change.' Change begins within. How you show up in the world depends on YOU!