"........When Change is the Challenge."
Conscious
Evolution
Empowerment Systems
Newsletter, #6
"A Major Life
Transition"
Six months after she sold her business, Evelyn was
beginning to think she had made the biggest mistake of her
life. The vacation was over. The house was clean, the
piles gone and she felt she had nothing to talk about with
her business-owner friends. She expanded her volunteer work
and started helping out at a friend's store, but couldn't
settle down. Nothing felt worth while in fact, she didn't
feel like she was worth while anymore. When she started
thinking about starting another business, she decided to get
some coaching.
When I asked why she sold her business, she told me
that the price was excellent, and that she was tired of the
long hours, the responsibility to her customers and the
difficulty in getting and keeping good employees. Her
husband was due to retire in a few months. They had planned
well and had enough money to live comfortably. She didn't
need a business to provide for herself and her family, and
she didn't want to tie herself down. Yet she valued
something she no longer had, her identity as a business
owner.
It had never occurred to Evelyn that by selling the
business she had the thrust herself into a major life
transition. Some transitions are expected - like getting
married, having children, moving to a new city, divorce,
etc. She had only expected relief at being out of the daily
business grind. She did not expect to need to reinvent her
life.
Really reinventing meant taking time to explore - not
just to do something familiar to fill the time. Evelyn
agreed to explore by doing a series of activities to help
her discover what was meaningful and fun. She made a list
of 100 things she loved to do and also listed "someday I'm
gonna's." She looked through adult education catalogs and
marked courses that seemed appealing. She fantasized her
ideal day. She completed a major volunteer project. She
kept asking, "when will I know what's next?"
Gradually she realized that she wanted meaningful work
without major responsibilities. She is temporarily teaching
self-management skills and entrepreneurial skills to high
school students in a local volunteer program. Since Evelyn's
husband has retired, they are exploring new options
together, and enjoying the process.
Coaching tip: When someone is making a major life
transition, time and tools for exploration and reevaluation
are critical needs. Often the trip is more important than
the destination.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2000, Empowerment Systems. May be
transmitted or reproduced in its entirety only, including
this copyright line.
Jonathan B. Weiss, Ph.D. and Laurie Weiss, Ph.D. have
helped thousands of people make significant changes in their
lives. Working together at Empowerment Systems for 28 of
their 39 years of marriage, they maintain a coaching,
consulting, and psychotherapy practice in Littleton,
Colorado, USA.
Home
EMPOWERMENT
SYSTEMS
506 West
Davies Way
Littleton
· Colorado · 80120
303.794.5408 ·
Fax
303.794.5379 ·
Phone
800.594.4594 ·
Toll-Free
weiss@empowermentsystems.com ·
E-Mail
ADDITIONAL
LOCATION & CONTACT INFORMATION
"Committed to helping people use all of
their inner resources
to create satisfying and fulfilling
lives."
|