Same Roots, New Direction

Last month, I shared how hard job searching is right now. There is an emotional toll in the  silence from companies you’re interested in but never hear back, but also the let down of interviewing and then being rejected. With so much of our identity tied to our work, it was easy for me to question my own worth. 

At one point this summer, I wondered if this was a sign for me to leave HR for good. Maybe I’ve gotten too old, too out of touch, too stuck in my ways to continue on.  I was RSVPing yes to a pity party, table of 1. 

Rejection is Redirection

When I was in a more logical headspace, I asked myself, what am I being directed towards? 

The universe was pretty silent on an answer for a while.  

Then  out of the blue, a work-colleague-who-became-a-friend (and a reader of the FHC newsletter!) reached out and offered to introduce me to an organization that needed some people-related help. Interested, I joined the call, got excited and agreed to put together a consulting agreement. 

A few weeks later, another colleague reached out to me to see if I was interested in doing some fractional work. And I was. 

All of a sudden, my capacity was full before I even named my next career step. I created an LLC, set up a bank account, figured out how to invoice and created my company name. In less than a month, I went from unemployed to entrepreneur. 

Same Soil, New Seeds

The second planting allows the soil to be reused by a new plant after harvesting an earlier crop. Gardeners or farmers don't toss the soil away, they reuse it, enriched by the first planting.

It’s no different than humans finding their new direction, planting the seeds of change but staying true to who you are. Sometimes the path forward doesn't look the same as the path we’ve taken to this point. It’s scary - yes, but also exciting. 

I’ve been an entrepreneur a little over a month and when someone asked how it was going, I told them I was content. It feels good to do work that I’m good at and see results. I feel lighter without the uncertainty I carried through the job search. 

Don't get me wrong - there is unchartered territory in front of me, I know it can be a feast or famine existence and I don't have a plan yet for how to handle it. But as the past has shown me, I’m capable of figuring it out.

Your Second Planting

Stay Curious: When you can, change the question “why is this happening to me” to “what can I learn from this” and even “what am I being redirected towards”?  It works for the job that didn't pan out, but also the relationship that ended or the plan that got rerouted.

Trust the Compost: Nothing you lived through is wasted, even the parts that ended badly. Every heartbreak, every friendship that fizzled, every version of yourself you outgrew - it's all nutrients for whatever grows next. You need that reused soil.

Let Capacity Find You: You don't always get to plan the pivot. Sometimes life just starts handing you people and opportunities and a few weeks later,  you look up and your whole world looks different. Stop waiting for a five-year plan to feel finished before you let good things in.