SEASONS OF A CAREER: SPRINGTIME

CAREER DEVELOPMENT
SEASONS OF A CAREER: SPRINGTIME!
BY CATHY GOODWIN PH.D
MAY 5TH, 2003
When we're struggling with a career, or settling into an unfamiliar new residence, we're most likely to think of winter: cold, bleak and endless. At some point any life transition feels like bring buried under a coat of ice, hibernating through long, dark days.
Spring gets promoted as a time of new beginnings—and it's a fragile season, buds appear on trees, only to become leaves in a matter of days. Cherry blossoms, forsythia, and daffodils seem to last just long enough for us to learn their names.
Spring also brings energy: Here in New Mexico, we're blown about by winds.
You probably see where I'm heading with this. Often clients seek out my coaching services after a long, hard job search, or a long dry period of seeking customers for a new business, or a frustrating effort to feel at home in a place that remains hostile. They've glimpsed a taste of success: a few nibbles to the resume, a few customers who seemed happy but then disappeared, a smile from an icy neighbor. Now they're really ready for summer.
Spring can be harder than winter. After slogging through ice and snow, you're ready for warmth, and it never happens fast enough. I remember living in cold climates—Alaska, Connecticut, Manitoba—when a gray, cold spring seemed like the last straw.
If you've been there before, it's easier to believe spring is coming—and you've learned some tricks to protect your fragile new growth.
Need an extra boost to get through spring? Talk to people who have been there. Find a couch or counselor. Join a new group. Take the dog for a really long walk. Devise your own spring festival.
And keep looking for glimpses of summer every day—even when you had to pull your parka out of storage.