What was your work situation before the Launch Pad?

I was working for a big medical company. 

This was my first job here in Denmark out of university. It ended up as eight years and working in three positions.

I needed to try something else.

How were you feeling about your work?

‘This is not me. I don’t fit.’ Imposter syndrome.

I had everything: the position, nice colleagues, perks, the very high salary. From a rational perspective, everything seemed fine.  

I suddenly noticed I was sighing, not every day, but sort of slipping into a different energy mode for ‘work.’

Why did you decide to join the Launch Pad?

I needed some tools and techniques, because I was so disconnected from myself.

What had you previously tried to do to make progress on your career change?

Just looking at the usual job postings. 

I was all very business administration. I didn’t see a lot of creative options for me.  

What were your reservations or skepticism about the Launch Pad?

Money, of course!  

But there was a thing where you could get your money back if you weren’t happy in the first few weeks and that was big for me, like ‘yes, I can just stop if it doesn't work for me’. I’d otherwise only lose a bit of time.

What was the experience like?

A big piece was meeting a community of people who were in the same situation, who I have never met, but somehow there's still this shared sense of how to support each other in moving along. 
 
Realising, okay, I'm not insane for wanting to step away from this highly paid, high-powered job; a sense of ‘it's okay to be a bit afraid of the process and do it anyway.’ I had early ‘a-ha’ moments, where I came back into myself again.

Even now, four years or so later, I remember Natasha (a course founder) talking about wearing the ‘wrong filters’.

What were the highlights?

I felt finally empowered to be ‘uncertain’ for a long moment.

Definitely not a thing in the business administration world.

That, and having practical, written tools to reach out to people outside of my usual spaces. 

What were the toughest moments?

The toughest, really toughest moment, was actually after the course.
 
I fell into ‘how do I motivate myself again?’ because I was still feeding my insecurities about myself.

What came out of that bit of a slump was someone asking me the question at the right time: ‘do you need to rest, to just be?’

I had not had any break and I was trying to make this big change happen. I realised I wasn’t managing my energy well.

What was the impact on you? 

I completely changed my plan. 

I went away travelling for almost a year, on a boat for some of it. I didn’t try to do a lot about my work situation or plans. Which in itself, I now realise, was a big thing for someone like me at that time.

My energy returned.

What on the course led to that impact?

Through the Launch Pad course I realised I had been storing a lot of internal financial worry.  

I decided, well I can do something about that - start really saving and quit without having a new big work plan to worry about or work on, to just give myself a true break.

Where are you now in your career?

I have a wide portfolio career, with some business coaching for creatives, some intuitive energy therapy work and intuitive coaching, and working on my own art, as well as my own personal, lifelong development

How do you feel about your work?

I remember one day coming to work beaming for no reason! 

I was just smiling all over my face. 

What’s been the impact of your shift on your wider life?

I feel I am now embracing the whole me.

And I don't have to, you know, be alternative in a way that I don't want to be alternative. I am just me. No labels.

I would say to anyone, the whole process regarding how we see ourselves, that’s an ongoing lesson; lifelong, really.

How did the Launch Pad help you get clear on and move into your new career?

The Launch Pad helped me realise that I really did want to change my career, and provided me with the tools and confidence to take the first steps to make it come true.

What would you recommend to anyone considering the Launch Pad?

I’d say ‘make the course your own’.

Work it to fit you.

Also, it’s not a magic pill. 

Photo © Steven Biccard

You can find full details about the course on our dedicated Launch Pad page.