Stage, Not Age
“What can I expect on the retreat?”, she asked. “I’m not exactly trying to figure out what’s next in my career – in fact – pretty much the exact opposite!”
Melinda’s situation is not unique. A successful financial services executive, she’s looking at the next 3-5-7 years as the close of her corporate career. And we see that as an opening to explore what’s next! In her decades in the financial industry, Melinda had the opportunity to take on increasingly complex, challenging and rewarding roles. Her scope, influence and financial rewards increased significantly over the years. She’s had an amazingly successful career, and a rich personal life to boot. She loves to cook, loves to read, and loves to travel (our kind of woman!)
AND…she’s done. Ready to exit the corporate world gracefully, and bring her bounty of wisdom to another endeavor. Enter Nova Immersions.
In the five days we spend together, we facilitate an environment that lets women safely explore what’s next. To get clear on what really matters, and to ensure that their life and their valuable energy are directed to the things that matter most. In this case, most to Melinda. Most to the people who are most important to her.
Here’s a discovery: while Melinda is planning what’s next for her life, she’s also in a transition stage with her daughter, who’s graduating college and also exploring what’s next. Melinda was anxious about the transition, and what it would mean to their relationship. She learned, through the wisdom of her Immersion community, that her guiding principle moving forward was “to be the woman she would want her daughter to see.”
Melinda was energized – and maybe a little bit daunted – by this proposal. It gave her new perspective and new energy to explore. She’d always been a mentor and a role model at work: maybe there was an opportunity to explore this path in a different way. She started in the industry when not a lot of women were pursuing careers in finance, and had the opportunity to learn with and through others. Maybe she could take that knowledge and pursue a Board seat. Perhaps her business expertise, love of cooking and travel might lead her to launch as an entrepreneur.
With the lens widened, and her options seemingly endless, Melinda left the Immersion with a concrete plan to define the next stage for herself. And with a community of women ready to support and challenge her along the way.
