Move on!

Easy advice to give. A little more challenging to receive.

I was asked recently if I had gotten over the challenges of the past year which have included job loss to my Father's passing to trying to eke out a living through this global recession. The follow-up question was next: “Are you ready to move on?”

Where to begin?

My best attempt at an answer is the picture I chose to illustrate this post: a sunset. I have taken a lot of sunset photos recently and have used a number of them in various recent posts. And I have received some complements (it helps to have a really great camera and some spectacular scenery here at Wasaga Beach).

Sunsets of course are about endings. And that's where I am. Ending a bunch of things while experimenting with new opportunities. 'Transition time' the experts say. "Exciting times" they all parrot. Over these past 12 months I have knocked on a lot of doors and kissed a lot of frogs. I have a lot of T shirts.

Moving on from job loss. I had a meeting recently with a Toronto-based advertising agency executive. Somehow we got onto the topic of job transition. He related his story to me but the line that has stuck with me is, “I got up one morning and felt like the most unsuccessful successful person I knew”. Those of us who have been restructured will understand that. Don't blame yourself...self flagellation hurts too much.

Can you ever move on from the death of a loved one? The sad truth is you do. They fade away. You learn to live without them. In some cases, to stand on your own two feet. For me, I don't have to seek approval anymore. I feel like I have just been released from jail and just want to inhale the scent of freedom for a while.

And finally now that the job in the 'downtown high-rise office with the paid-for underground parking' is a distant memory, its time to move on from 'job' to 'work'. My 'job' moving forward is to put my 25 years of experience in marketing and advertising to work: help others grow their business. Actively seeking opportunities!

I could rattle on about moving but the way I will be best able to demonstrate that I have 'moved on' is with a picture. Stay tuned.

Until next time...