 In the last month, I achieved a significant career milestone that I have been working towards for over four years. It got me thinking about how many awesome things have happened in my career. I decided to write this post to encourage anyone feeling stuck in their careers and remind myself of what has helped me so far.
In this blog post, I will share the five things I did in my career that helped me grow. Check out my other "Her Career" blogs for tips and tricks for a successful career. #1: Investing in learning new skills About 12 years ago, I decided to go back and get my Masters degree while working full-time. This decision set me on a more elevated path than I imagined. I enjoy learning and am very fortunate to be in a place where I can acquire knowledge and skills. I have completed many certifications, learned skills on the job, and shared them with others. Reflection questions
#2: Owning my career development At the start of my career, I learned a lesson that I had held close to my heart. It is my responsibility to plan and drive my career. Giving up control of your Career development automatically puts you in the passenger seat and observer mode. As part of my annual planning, I set career goals that guide my actions. I am very committed to making progress professionally. Reflection questions
#3: Taking on stretch opportunities In 2017, when I was asked to lead a Global Program Management Office, I said no because I thought the task was too big for me. The fear of failure made me almost miss out on a great opportunity. After months of contemplating, I realized that I was the best-suited person for the role, and it was a significant growth opportunity for me. Over the last four years, I created my role and worked through the trying times of doing things that have never been done before. Reflection questions
#4: Having my support network and village The people who have been my companions on my career journey have been one of the most significant contributors to my success. I am grateful for the Mentors, Sponsors, and Teammates who have taught me a lot and supported my ambitions. Having people, I can talk to about the challenges I am facing and celebrate successes with made my journey amazing. Reflection questions
#5: Doing work that I enjoy There have been seasons in my professional life where I have enjoyed work and other seasons when I did less fun things. I have learned to lean into my strengths and know what brings me joy at work. Doing work that aligns with my personal mission of helping others thrive professionally gives me a lot of fulfillment. There are still elements of my job that I do not enjoy. However, I enjoy a large part of it, and I look forward to whatever my next career move will be. Reflection questions
Final Thoughts I feel very fortunate to have had great professional experiences. My experiences have been influenced by the intentional planning of my career, having my support community, and focusing on doing work I enjoy. We spend a lot of time at work, and I really hope that we all start enjoying work a little more.
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 As our lives get busier, getting caught up with the mundane things and our routines is so easy. We sometimes lose excitement and inspiration. Being inspired fuels our lives and impacts us positively.
In this blog post, we will explore ways to get inspired again and thrive. Starting point - Why is being inspired important? Inspiration plays an essential role in our lives. Some of the benefits include:
#1: Reflect on the last time your felt inspired In the past years, we have had to focus on things that are pivotal to our survival. As a result, a lot of us have lost the spark. Thinking back on the last time you were inspired will give you some information about what inspires you. Strategies to consider
#2: Do something you have not done in a long time One way to seek inspiration is to do things that have given you the feeling in the past. We all have fantastic things we have done as much over the last three years. Now is an excellent time to return to them and get inspired again. Strategies to consider
#3: Find people who inspire you The ability to inspire is a desirable trait in people. I like hearing from others who they find inspiring. Typically when people have asked me, I could answer the question about people who inspire me. Lately, I have not had anyone on my list. That is something that I need to change. Strategies to consider
#4: Listen to what inspires others and talk about what inspires you There is something powerful about sharing the good in our lives. When we are vocal about our experiences, it brings back feelings that we had. I really like hearing what inspires people around me. It teaches me a lot about them and lets me see their greatness. Strategies to consider
#5: Be an inspiration to someone Giving back is an excellent way for us to make the world a better place. Being a positive influence on people is a great thing to strive for. I have found that doing things for others helps adjust my perspective. We all have something great to contribute. Strategies to consider
Time for Reflection
 Our world has changed a lot over the past three years. We have all been impacted in many ways. I recently read this great article, "The Three-Year Life Audit" in Psychology Today Magazine. It got me thinking about how much our lives have changed since the start of the pandemic three years ago. The fact that it has been three years already still blows my mind. These have been the fastest and yet slowest three years of my life.
In this blog post, I will share my personal audit of the last three years and invite you to make time for your own audit. There are a lot of great lessons that we learn from reflecting. Valuing our Social Connections Reflection Questions: How have your social ties evolved? Which connections do you miss—and what can you do about it? MC's Story Over the past three years, some of my social connections have become stronger, and others have unfortunately dissolved. At the start of the pandemic, we were all doing so much to keep in touch with everyone virtually since we could not meet in person. It became more rewarding to invest in deeper relationships, which led to me neglecting some others. What am I committing to doing over the next months?
Celebrating our greatness Reflection Questions: What unsung heroic feats have you endured? The things that brought you to your knees—perhaps without anyone else knowing? MC's Story Becoming a mother at the height of the pandemic was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I did. In March 2020, when the world was shutting down, I found out I was expecting our son. During my pregnancy, I lacked the support community I would typically have had because we were all confined to our homes. What am I committing to doing over the next months?
Embracing the new Reflection Questions: What new elements have you welcomed into your life? Projects, geographies, habits, creative outlets MC's Story Our son has driven us to explore our area more. Since moving to California, I have visited many more beautiful places in the last three years than in the previous five years. Also, seeing our son enjoy the little things around us has helped me appreciate what we have even more. What am I committing to doing next?
Releasing things that no longer serve me Reflection Questions: What have you let go of? That thing you thought you'd never escape but suddenly found a way to discard? MC's Story When I think about the biggest change in my mindset, I no longer believe I can control the outcomes of my life through great planning. The past years have shown me that I have no control over many things. The skill that I have learned is to set goals, have plans, and be prepared to adapt to the new things that arise as life happens. What am I committing to doing next?
Investing in the future Reflection Questions: What new seeds have you planted? Those once-impossible imaginings that are now starting to take root? MC's Story In the last three years, I have experienced much professional growth. My career has grown in ways that I never imagined. I have taken on new responsibilities, gotten promotions, developed great programs, and led a team. Although my bold moves have paid off, I am still holding back on ideas I m scared of implementing. What am I committing to doing next?
Final Thoughts The past three years have been my life's most unexpected and positively surprising times. If you had asked me in early 2020 where I think I would be in three years, I would never have imagined the life that I have now. I am very proud of myself for staying focused on my goals and grateful for the community that stood beside me throughout. My life has changed for the best!  My seventh year of living in Germany and now in the US were similar yet very different. Being able to reflect on my journey is a gift. I have seen the growth and how much my life has changed in the 22 years since I moved from Nigeria back to Germany and then to the US.
In this blog post, I will share the factors that made my experiences different and the lessons I learned. Check out my other Her Relocation blog posts about my experiences living in Nigeria, Germany, and the US. Starting a new life In 2007, I moved to Trier from Saarbrucken, where I lived in Germany for most of my first six years. The move was necessary because I was starting a new course at university. Unfortunately, this meant that I left my sister and social network behind. Looking back, I am very happy that I made the bold move to restart my life in a new city. It was very scary, but I saw the positive results at school. Also, I could visit with my sister and friends on a short train ride. What did I learn?
Losing a loved one Sadly, a few weeks after I moved to Trier, I lost my grandmother. She had been a part of my life growing up in Nigeria. Being so far away in Germany and not being there with my mum and our extended family was tough. Even after over 16 years, I remember the call and where I was in my cold apartment. I am very grateful for my friend who came to my place and ensured I was ok before I went to stay with my sister in Saarbrucken. This was one of the times when Germany felt very far away from Nigeria because I could not be physically present. One thing that comforted me was that we had just seen our grandmother when we returned to Nigeria in the summer of 2006. What did I learn?
Deciding to leave Germany After a few months of living in Trier, I hit a wall and decided that I was done with Germany. Everything in me told me I had tried so much, which would not work. I thought it was time to pick up where I left off in Nigeria before leaving. Shortly before I bought my ticket, I talked with one of our family friends. She took her time to understand why I wanted to go, and I told her I was tired of facing financial challenges. In addition to being a listening ear, she offered to send me 200 Euros for three months to augment the money I made working at Subway. I decided to stay and give it another try. Staying in Germany was the right move for me, and I'm thankful for where I am today. What did I learn?
Working towards my career goals After I became a mother, I knew that I still wanted to have a successful career. This impacted my decisions about when to return to work and how much time I wanted to invest in work. 2021 was one of the most successful years in my career. I am very proud of everything I accomplished because I did it while caring for a baby. Due to the pandemic, we did not have childcare for our child's first 14 months. What did I learn?
Reuniting with family Due to the pandemic, our family did not meet our son in his first year. The first members of our family that he met were my brother-in-law and his family. I still remember how special the moment was when he got to see his uncle and cousins for the first time. Our son is shy when he meets people for the first time. However, he let his uncle carry him. I am getting emotional as I think about how much our lives changed during the pandemic and also having to navigate the times with a baby. What did I learn?
MC's Moment of Reflection One thing that 2007 and 2021 had was that I was starting new journeys. In 2007, I had just moved to a new city and was attempting to begin studying a new course, while in 2021, I was navigating life being a mom and a professional. Reflecting on my journey reminded me of how far I have come. |
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