The idea that we are meant to be one thing, and one thing only is ridiculous. It can also happen that work you used to love to do, isn’t what you love to do anymore. It can feel overwhelming to not enjoy the work you are doing and not knowing what could be next. That process can feel even more daunting when you are unemployed. 

I was in a job three years ago where I didn’t respect the leadership, and I didn’t feel recognized for my skills. I wanted to have a bigger voice and to affect change and not dread going to work.

So, I did the Possible Selves exercise. And the possible self that felt like the biggest stretch was “independent career coach”. It felt impossible. I also wrote “university instructor” and “public speaker”.

I had always been a full-time employee kind of person, so even writing those jobs felt silly. The rest of the jobs were safe, Executive Director, Program Manager, Forest School teacher.


But, was it silly to see myself doing this other dream work?

When I looked at the list of Possible Selves it helped me to see how much I wanted to do that other kind of work instead the work I felt I should do. And, it was enough for me to start to look for ways to incorporate this new dream into my life.

How I earn money in 2019

I am an Independent Career Coach who teaches three courses at the University of Winnipeg & delivers keynotes across Canada. I teach Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility to finance students, Effective Oral Communication to Public Relations and Project Management students and Resume Writing and Job Search Strategy to students in multiple programs. I speak to rooms of over 4,000 people.

The university teaching & speaking work makes me enough money that I never worry about having clients. This allows me to be very selective about who I work with and charge what I want.

This is a very different energy that the woman of three years ago. Three years ago didn’t have the courage to ask my boss if I could come in late to walk my daughter to her first day of kindergarten. Seriously. I didn’t know how to claim my worth.

Please add things to your list that might seem impossible. They probably aren’t.

Now, the art of sharing your story and landing those jobs is another whole thing that I happen to be an expert in helping people do, but we won’t get into that today. Today, please don’t limit your possible selves. If I had, we would never know each other.

Happy dreaming about all the possible things you can do with your career.