To Adapt Yourself or to Reinvent Yourself? That´s the Question!
Recently I was talking with a friend of mine who was telling me about how she is struggling in her life and that she felt that she has been adapting herself all her life. I kept thinking about what she said and although, especially in these times, it´s important to adapt ourselves to new realities and challenges, I rather speak of trying to reinvent ourselves.
For most of us these are difficult times and a lot of old certainties simply have gone. In that way, we all go through a kind of collective trauma because the old normal will never come back, which might be a very disturbing thought for many people.
When I look back on my life and think of the expectations I had since I started working, I think that I can´t speak of a ‘logical’ career path. At least, that´s what it might look like to an outsider. But for me, all the choices were the right ones at that moment and I was never afraid to leave for something new and unknown just because it would be a risk. And that is what reinventing is all about to me. Through reflections, curiosity and new experiences, I knew what the next step should look like and put a lot of effort in training, knowing the right people through networking and working hard to get better and better in order to create the right conditions to flourish. I have always liked the area of personal development, but it wasn´t until I founded my company in training, facilitation and mentoring that I knew how to use my passion and strengths in the most optimal way. And even while I am still working in the same area, I feel that I have reinvented myself since then as my focus changed several times due to changes in my own interests and perception of where I can add value in the most effective and rewarding way.
This pandemia and the severe impact it will have on our economies will also give us an opportunity to reinvent ourselves and our businesses. In the mid nineties two experts on trauma, Tedeschi & Calhoun published a book on Post traumatic Growth and explained that we can also go through a psychological transformation that follows a stressful encounter. It is a way of finding the purpose of pain and looking beyond the struggle. During the past months I have coached people who finally found the motivation to start new courses to prepare the second (for the time being parallel) career they have always wanted to develop. These first steps give a lot of motivation and new energy which we need in these times where we are exposed to so much negative news. I myself have also discovered new opportunities on international level that I would not have found if I wasn´t forced to look for new ways to develop my business. And I sincerely hope that also bigger companies are reflecting on the way they treat their people and supply chain so that the wellbeing of their employees and environmental sustainability will have a more central place in how business is done.
If you need a quick view on tips on how to reinvent your career in disruptive times, inspire yourself on this great infographic created by Harvard Business Review!
Soon I will be releasing a series of new workshops for anyone who is interested in reinventing themselves. Would you be interested and if so, what themes can´t be missed in this programme? Would love to receive your input!
Manon Rosenboom Alves
Founder & Managing Director Reinvent Yourself
mobile: +351 964481443
mail: manon.alves@reinventyourself.pt
site: www.reinventyourself.pt
