Reflection
I realized that today marks one year since I left industry. In speaking with friends and colleagues I often get asked “So, how did you decide to do this? You are so brave. How’s it going?”
Well……
I find with each year I strive to find new opportunities to grow. In the last 5 years that growth has been exponential with the steepest climb being this past year.
41 years old, 17 of those years in school, 17 years in industry (all in med device and most of the time in the fast paced bay area), 3 months to build up my consulting business, 6 months to decompress (maybe still decompressing….), 1 year as a successful independent consultant.
So what have I been up to?
In October of 2020, my husband and I moved our family cross country. This was heavily influenced by learning how to live with Covid and this “new normal”. Because of this I am able to spending more quality time through out the day with my 3 kids, husband, and dog. Having the ability to BE TRUELY AVAILABLE is priceless.
In November I recognized the opportunity to start something on my own, K2A2consulting. I have loved every minute. It has been quite invigorating to experience the roller coaster feeling of the day to day. Experiencing the stress and accomplishment of putting something out there for the first time solo was a great experience. It enabled me to live the joy and thrill of the successes that come with not just working hard, but being the sole owner of that work. I still miss the team environment, but through my clients I have been able to share joy in their successes, as well as shared learnings when things are less successful.
I’ve worked with small and large company entities, as well as individuals and academia. I’ve been able to build Domestic and International business relationships. I’ve mentored and been a mentee, sometimes in the same meeting.
In conclusion the move for me and my family has been net positive. In the last year I have improved my health. I became hyper focused on activities that I love such as gardening, hiking, and climbing. I learned to play chess. I signed up as a volunteer for our local rescue team. And best of all, I spent more time with my family.
I’m looking forward to continuing on with my new adventure with my eye constantly on the horizon for what’s next! Never stop learning, never stop growing, and never stop doing things that you love with people you love!
