Community Spotlight: Chelsea Fournier on Finding Your Plan B…or C…or D
As I reflect on my original interactions with Jodi Flynn 6 years ago, and how our stories intertwine over the years, I am so grateful for our connection. At the time we met I was working at the third law firm I had been recruited to, and was feeling crazy. I was feeling crazy because I was moving from job to job trying to fit into a box I didn’t fit into, and was very rapidly and successfully creating a life that was not intended for my authentic self.
I loved that we were both (recovering?) Type-A personalities that were willing to be open-minded and humble enough to admit that we didn’t know everything but knew we were meant for more. Meeting her when she was just starting out her coaching practice inspired me to explore coaching. I then spent a few years attending coaching classes and starting a small coaching practice on top of my full-time law position. I loved working with my coaching clients, but growing a business from scratch while still practicing law full-time was not sustainable.
I was still on my journey to discover what I was meant to be when I grow up. I started to really assess what it was I wanted in a career. So I kept exploring different business models and opportunities – and started to surround myself with amazing resources to inspire me, like podcasts (love Women Taking the Lead), audiobooks, and conferences.
Ask the Universe For What You Want
Charging for my time as a lawyer in billable hours never made sense to me. There was only so much time in the day to spread between my clients’ needs and little time left for me. I wanted to find ways to add significant value to the marketplace that could generate income ongoing, long after the work was completed. And I wanted to do it all in a way that didn’t burn me out before 35.
When you become clear and ask the universe for exactly what you want, I believe the universe delivers. I stumbled across the opportunity of a lifetime at the right time in my life. My sister and I learned of a chance to partner with a young publicly traded company, and pioneer an innovative business model that was right up my alley. This is an opportunity I would have overlooked or disregarded without exploration maybe even 2 years prior because I was still in an employee and a scarcity mindset. But at the time I was open. I knew that the right opportunity would come along, and was ready (although still skeptical and resistant to change) when I learned about it.
What started as a passion project to be able to pay my student loan payment each month has turned into a personal journey and a global movement. Over the past 3 years I have made necessary changes to crawl out of a life based on what I thought I “SHOULD” be doing – and am now artistically designing a life that I love with a rewarding and multi-faceted career layered in.
So here are the top 5 lessons I have learned from knowing and following Jodi, from listening to Women Taking the Lead, and being part of the tribe on Facebook:
1) If you think you are meant for more – you are. End of story.
Don’t give up, and keep seeking. That feeling in your stomach is there for a reason and following it could change your life and the life of many others. The world is not served by your playing small. Keep exploring and pushing yourself to learn, to meet new people, and to be open for what the universe might be putting in your path.
2) Find your tribe. ASAP.
The people you surround yourself with make a huge difference on your psyche, on your confidence, and on your ability to stay open-minded and successful. That group of people can be virtual if needed. I count on my sister, some trusted colleagues, Ted Talks, Napoleon Hill, Darren Hardy, and Women Taking the Lead as core elements of my real and virtual tribe.
3) Doing something outside the box is HARD.
I have lost touch with friends who no longer understand me, have been called crazy for leaving good paying jobs, and have had to make some big changes in my life to live for my authentic self. It won’t be easy but it will be worth it. Once you find what you are meant to be doing the only regret you will have is that you didn’t make the leap sooner. The right people will stick around for the journey with you.
4) There is no one path for everyone.
The solution and career I have found may not be the path that would suit you. The path Jodi chose may not suit you. But if you keep exploring, talking to people, and staying open, the path will come in front of you that you are meant to travel on. I love hearing the diverse stories on the podcast of so many women blazing trails in such diverse directions in this world.
5) How you do anything is how you do everything.
Daily habits for staying in a positive mindset are critical for success. So is following through on your commitments to yourself and to others. If I try to talk myself out of my good habits, I remind myself that showing up for myself is a reflection on everything I do. And kick my butt a little to stick with it.
I am on my journey of finding my voice – I am developing a brand around my story to inspire others to think outside the box and go for a Plan B (or C or D or E…). If you want to watch it unfold, you can check out my Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/
Resources
Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing: A simple, step by step system that gives you the foundation and structure to take your goals and make them happen.
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