Relaunching Me

I think this has been the hardest blog for me to write. 

To complete one of my course assignments, I had to conduct an original poll asking my target audience their opinions. So I created an Instagram poll, but I don’t have very many followers yet. That meant making my instagram account more visible.  I had to do one more thing that scared me.  

Facing my Fears

In my  post, Aging with Confidence, I wrote: 

 “Sometimes I face the fear and just do it anyway. It is not danger we are about to face but opportunity. “

This year has been full of moments like that. I’ve stepped  outside my comfort zone more times than I can count. I have learned to  relabel anxious feelings as excitement. So what was I still worried about?

Judgment.

I once told someone that the more you do something the easier it gets.  I needed to take my own advice.

I didn’t want to be just one more person trying to  be an influencer.  That’s not what this is about.

So I took a leap. I  shared my new blog with a few close friends and explained that it was all part of a university project.   Then I asked them to take my poll on instagram.

To the women, friends, and family who showed up to support me when I tried something new, THANK YOU.

So what did my poll ask?

I wanted to know:

• If other women had also taken a long career break?
• Was their break linger than 10 years?
• Had they changed careers after 40?
• If they went back to work, what was their biggest fear: Confidence or Technology?
• Did they think employers value life experience?
•  Would they hire someone returning after a long career break?
• Did they feel too old to start over?

Here’s a what I discovered:

• 76% of respondents had taken a career break,  
• 67% took a career break longer than 10 years, while 33% were still on a break.
• Only 20% changed careers after 40
• When asked what would be hardest about returning to work 75% chose confidence, not technology.
• 75%, did not think employers value life experience as much as work experience
• 75% said they would hire someone returning after a career break.
• When asked if they felt too old to start over, 60% said “Never.”  20% said “Yes” while another 20% said they already loved their life exactly as it is.

I think what’s  important is knowing that you have a choice to start over or not. but it is great to know that you love your life. 

As for me,  this year of Relaunching Me is about discovering what  I truly enjoy after spending 21 years on a “break.” Starting a blog, sharing my writing, asking people to vote on a poll, asking my professor for feedback, learning to golf, all of these things are helping me figure that out.

Maybe my new confidence is because I am doing the scary thing! Maybe I am content in my part time career or perhaps I will choose another path,  I am grateful I had the courage to  try new things.  

What’s Next?

I ‘m not sure what’s next, but I’m already reading course descriptions so i know this won’t be the end of my learning !

I enjoy playing golf, spending time with my semi-retired friends, and the flexibility my current job gives me. Maybe when days get cooler and my youngest child leaves the nest, I’ll take the next big step in my career.

In the meantime, I’ll be here sharing experiences and the lessons I’m learning wherever the next chapter takes me.