I was walking down Kelburn Parade in Wellington at 5:30 a.m., on my way to the gym. I had hardly slept.

In May 2006, I moved from Austria to New Zealand to take an unpaid NGO job. I moved for the adventure, the new beginning and the purposeful task of growing the NGO's portfolio. I always knew I needed to find a paid job to cover my living expenses, but I didn't think it would be that hard. Two months later, the thought hit me: I can't stay if I don't find a paid job soon.

I followed a strong intuition when I accepted the role. In my heart, I knew it was the right move for me. This is what I wanted to do next.

But here I was, coping and adjusting to a new situation in the unhealthiest ways: crippling anxiety, sleepless nights, worries, stressing out.

It all worked out in the end. I got a project analyst role for a year. And then they invited me to stay. I ended up staying in New Zealand for 2 more years after that. For a few years, these habits, thoughts, and ways of coping were forgotten.

But then came other situations.

… When I moved to the UK to start a new job in a new company. Not knowing anyone socially, I felt lonely and out of place in a new work environment. I threw myself 200% into work.

… When I moved to Myanmar for my partner's job and went freelance. The loss of "my identity" and the unfolding gap in "things to do" showed me point blank my skills gap to manage this transition.

I actively chose these situations, yet I was not equipped to handle 'the gap' between the person I wanted to be(come) and the person I was right then.

I never learned the skills to cope with uncertainty, manage stress healthily, remove attachment, calm the nervous system, and distinguish between what needs focus and what needs letting go. Not to speak for trusting yourself and your abilities along the way.

Of course, there are still days when the coping mechanisms and anxiety come back. I'm human, after all. And I've lived with these mechanisms for 40 years. But now I have the arsenal of skills, tools for self-awareness, and perspective to not fall back into my old patterns, reframe, or snap out of them.

I see the same in my work with clients: 80% of the coaching focuses on building their arsenal of skills to make possible what they want next in their careers. The remaining 20% are the strategy and plans for what, where, how, and when.

And what do we need to build these skills?

The future of fast-paced work demands that we reinvent ourselves many times over. If you're 40 years old today, you can expect to change jobs 7-9 times until you retire. And you might have up to 4 different careers in your lifetime. I've had 2 career reinventions to date, and I'm confident this will not be my last.

Particularly within international development, humanitarian aid, and impact-focused work, the shifting landscape of global challenges demands agility, innovation, and interdisciplinary approaches, which often diverge from conventional career trajectories.

Do you think you have the skills to reinvent yourself repeatedly in your career, ?

I'd love to hear your thoughts,

Simone

And a couple of 1 minute reads:

· What made me train as a coach?

· Your impact career can fill up your cup too.