Good morning!
It’s a wonderful day!!
Thank you!!!
Those are the words I wrote on my whiteboard at the end of April.
It was the springboard to a shift in my thinking; from fear to trust. From despair to hope. A knowing that if I brought my best self forward, things would work out.
Hanging out my own shingle as a consultant was a wonderful experience. I learned so much from the few clients I worked with. But early in the year, it became very clear that it wasn’t going to be sustainable, and I began looking for full-time work.
So as I was closing off a very successful campaign I’d been working on with an amazing group of people, I turned my attention to finding full-time work.
It was a trying time, in the sense that jobs in my area of expertise seemed to have dried up all of a sudden. I had a few bites here and there and even a few close calls to maybe jobs, but nothing panned out. Although I still had enough money to keep me going for a few months, my future was unsure.
Let’s just say that by the time April came, I was ready to do any kind of job. So I picked myself up by the boot straps and wrote the above message on my whiteboard to help me start every day on the right foot. A message that I read out loud every morning on the way to my coffee pot in the kitchen.
And then some promising opportunities started to come my way. A phone call from someone in Vancouver who heard of me from someone I had coffee with because someone else suggested we should meet, and another job posting that looked promising and finally another possibility to work with someone I hold in high regard and respect tremendously.
That last possibility moved to the top of my wish list and I am happy to say that’s the position I was offered and accepted.
So finally my dear friends, as promised, here’s my update.
On May 1st, I started my new job at Oxford House; an organization that provides homes for men and women in recovery. Oxford House has 31 homes across Calgary and Edmonton. Each home has 4-5 bedrooms and provides a safe and welcoming space for men and women who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.
Oxford House has its beginnings in the United States with hundreds of homes throughout that country. Here in Canada, Oxford House was founded by the previous executive director who sadly passed away late last year . I am learning about him and the rich history of this incredible organization from the small group of people who make up the staff here.
A passionate staff, all of whom are also in recovery and some are even previous residents of Oxford House; deeply committed to helping others take responsibility for their recovery and make valuable contributions to their community.
How lucky am I to be part of something so amazing? I look forward to learning more about Oxford House and working within this dedicated team to build on the wonderful foundation that has already been laid.
The community-builder inside me is beside herself with joy.
I can’t wait to tell you more in the coming weeks and months!
~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~
