Her Next Chapters
This podcast is for moms with an empty nest on the horizon who are reclaiming & redefining their identity outside of motherhood, which might include a job search. On this show we’ll have raw conversations about our ever-changing roles as moms, hear from women who restarted their careers, and share tactical tips for a successful job search after a career break.
Her Next Chapters
44. Birthday Musings: Time Travel Edition
I'm celebrating a birthday this week and am using it as a time to reflect on the past year while looking forward to the future. With the word "light" being my guiding theme for 2024, I recount the emotional transition of stepping out from a corporate career to embrace my true purpose of using my experience, natural talents to help people find jobs they love. This episode is not only a personal reflection but also a celebration of the podcast's growth and my unwavering passion for empowering other women to recognize their strengths and pursue their dreams.
As I reflect on this past year, I'll share my journey of up-leveling as a certified coach and the rewarding experience of witnessing clients' successes. I'm also excited about my goals this next year which include upleveling my coaching to serve more women. This starts with a three-day, free networking challenge* in late August, followed by a group coaching program in September.
This episode is filled with personal reflections on the significance of age, family, and living life to the fullest. Join me as I encourage you to reflect on your own life paths, rediscover dreams, and consider what brings you purpose and meaning.
*I'm in the process of building everything for the challenge. If you're interested in joining, send me an email at christina@hernextchapters.com.
Interested in my 1:1 Career Comeback Coaching program? Apply HERE.
Send me an email ---> christina@hernextchapters.com
DM me on LinkedIn ---> www.linkedin.com/in/kohlchristina
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Hi and welcome to Her Next Chapter's podcast. I'm your host, hristina Cole. I'm a mom of three and soon to be an empty nester. I'm also a certified HR pro who restarted my career after being a stay-at-home mom for over a decade. I created this podcast to connect with moms who have an empty nest on the horizon and are wanting to redefine their identity outside of motherhood, which might include a job search. On this show, we'll have raw conversations about our ever-changing roles as moms. We'll hear from women who restarted their careers and share tips for a job search after a career break. So if that's you, you're in the right place. Friend, let's get started. Hi, friends, and welcome to this week's episode of Her Next Chapters.
Christina Kohl:As always, I'm so grateful that you are taking the time to tune in and listen wherever you are. If you're walking the dog, doing laundry, maybe you're working at the gym or driving errands I know I love to listen to podcasts when I'm driving errands, so, anyway, I'm just really glad you're here. Thanks for listening in Today. I want to talk about my birthday. Actually, today is the last day that I am 55. Tomorrow I turn 56. With yesterday being 8-8-8, if you haven't heard of that, it's August 8th of 2024. We add up the digits in 2024, that also equals eight, so it's triple eight. I'm not tuned in to all of that with numerology and what that all means, with astrology and everything, but apparently it's a really powerful time. So I thought I'd take this opportunity to record, since today's my last day of being 55, and just numbers. I don't know if there's any meaning, but I just found it really interesting. So I'm going to tell you some numbers that are coming up for me. So my mom'm 55. I am 22 years older than my dad was when he died. He died several years ago in a drowning accident. He was 33. So at age 55, I'm 22 years younger than my mom is today, and I'm 22 years older than my dad was when he passed away. And my daughter? She's 22. So it's just kind of I don't know. Again, I don't know what any of those things mean. I probably don't mean anything, but I've noticed the symmetry in those numbers my mom's 77, 22 years older than me. I'm 55, 22 years older than my dad when he died, and my daughter is 22. So something about all those numbers. Anyway, for whatever it means, today is my last day being 55.
Christina Kohl:And I thought it'd be kind of interesting just to take stock, take inventory of this past year and if you've been listening to the podcast for any length of time, you might have heard the episode around January 1st where a lot of people do a word for the year. And my word for this year for 2024, has been light, and what that word means to me is to step into the light, to be more public, to be an example for others, to own, recognize the light that's within me and allow it to shine. And, yeah, that's been a challenge for me. This podcast is a huge part of that, because I'm stepping into the light right Every time I record a podcast episode and upload it for the world to listen to. And, oh my gosh, you guys like 130 different cities have listened in to this podcast and over 10 countries and territories, so it's spreading, it's getting out there. It's amazing to see those numbers. So I'm definitely stepping into the light and part of that is, yeah, stepping into the spotlight and being more public and putting myself out there. It's also being a light to others. So this is again, if you know me, if you've been listening in, you know it's my passion to help other people, to help other women, specifically who have been full-time moms, to help them with their next chapters, to help them see their beautiful gifts, their transferable skills. When we talk about the marketplace, but also, it's not just about getting a job I mean, that's a lot of what I talk about, but in the coaching that I do with my clients, it's really being a mirror and reflecting back to them all of the beautiful things within, all of the wonderful experiences that they have and how they can go after any dream that they want, and anyway, it's just so rewarding, and so, for me, stepping into the light has been huge this past year.
Christina Kohl:So I left my corporate role in early 2023. I was still 54 then and if you haven't read that story, the 54 just came to my mind. I was driving home from work and I was actually driving home from a physical therapy appointment. I had surgery on my knee and I just had been unhappy in my work, just feeling overwhelmed and not fulfilled more than anything. Just not fulfilled and wasn't where I felt I needed to be spending my life energy. It just wasn't a big use. It wasn't what I felt I needed to be spending my life energy. It just wasn't a big use, it wasn't what I was put here to do, and I just felt disconnected from what my true purpose is and my values, and nothing wrong with the job itself. I just I was draining my energy, I was giving all my energy away. And I was driving home and on the radio I heard the DJ talk about the passing, the death of Lisa Marie Presley, and that didn't really impact me. I'm like I don't really know her. That's sad, of course, but the next sentence is what really stuck out was that she was 54 years old. I'm like I'm 54 years old and again, this is a year ago and it just really dawned on me like I'm not spending my life energy the way that I want to and it's time for a change. Within a couple of weeks, I had put in my notice, put in my notice at my job so that I could do this mission, work this passion, work full time, and it's been. What a journey it has been. That summer I created my LLC, so her next chapter's LLC is official and started coaching clients in 2024. Just kind of spent that time gearing up and getting ready and it's been wonderful and one's been wonderful.
Christina Kohl:And one thing, too, that I want to point out, just as I'm reflecting. This past week on LinkedIn, I put a post about it early, early in my life and not even my career, because it was volunteer. But after I graduated college I got the bug to become a firefighter and I did become a firefighter a volunteer firefighter for the city of Arvada. Back then they were a volunteer force and I signed up and I went to the academy. There was only maybe two women that went through the fire academy and I also got my EMT certification to help support a career as a firefighter. So not very many people know that about me. If you're listening and you know me personally, you'll be like what Never heard that before.
Christina Kohl:And we did it for about six months and then I moved out of the area. So it wasn't a long-term gig but it was a lot of fun. I do have more stories to share about that, but really the reason I bring it out is that you don't really know until you do something if you're really going to like it or not. For one and I did like it it was fun, definitely challenging in a lot of different ways, but what's ironic is that the reason, the real reason behind why I wanted to become a firefighter. And you guys, not only did I volunteer, go through academy, get EMT certified, I applied through the Denver Regional Council of Governments and they have the application process. Like, once a year you go through a test, a written test, and then you go through the physical exam and physical. You know you have to run and push-ups and strength testing and all of that. I did all of that and I was in the applicant pool for a year. So I mean, I was all in making this happen. But it wasn't because I loved the idea of firefighting, it's because I love the idea of their schedule. So firefighters and I don't know if this is still true today, but they would work like a 24-hour shift every three days or maybe a 48-hour shift once a week, and I'm like that's five days a week that I have to myself, that I can do whatever I want.
Christina Kohl:And what I wanted to do was be a writer and at that same time I was creating a resume service. Now, you guys, this is in the early nineties, maybe 94, 95. So I've already told you how old I am. So I'm already aging myself there. But I came across these brochures that I made. Again, this is an email. It just come about really aging myself. Email is new and we certainly didn't have all the social media things and all that we have now. So I literally made these brochures. They're color, they're trifold, and it was about my resume writing service. And then I have a whole notebook of the fancy resumes. I've got the originals, I've got my handwritten markup, I've got the nice quality paper, because back then we'd go to FedEx or Kinko's and make copies of our resumes on nice paper and then fold them all nice and neat and put them in the mail because that was the only way to apply. So things have certainly changed in the world since then. But you guys, I had forgotten that I started helping people with resumes in the early 90s, early in my career. So I started my career in HR in 1991. So this has been something that has been on my mind and my heart for a long time.
Christina Kohl:And when I put on the post the post on LinkedIn about me being a firefighter, like you know, you would be shocked to know that I was a firefighter and of course, like I said, people who know me in real life, most people don't even know that. So I was looking for my certification because I know I kept it. I keep everything like that. So I knew I had my certification. So I was looking for my EMT certification and my firefighter certification and what I found was in my resume service folder, which happened to be right in front of the firefighter EMT folder, was not only the resume service but also an interview class. Like I had a whole detailed outline of how I would teach people to be good interviewers and I don't mean the from the employer side, I mean the candidate side and I had exercises. I mean this is you guys? This is like two pages single spaced, detailed outline of an interview class, which is one of the favorite things I do today is coach people on interviews and help them be superstars in their interviews.
Christina Kohl:So it's just so mind boggling to me that something that I was thinking of in the nineties that I'm now doing 30 years later and when I was reflecting on it and again, it's birthday season, right. So it's, you know, time for some reflection. As I was reflecting on it and I was telling a friend about you know, oh my gosh, I found this stuff and it had made me. It made me have a little bit of regret Like why didn't I start this work sooner? It's obviously been on my heart and my mind and I've been like I created things. I started it. Why didn't I do it sooner?
Christina Kohl:And she gave me such grace. I so appreciate her feedback. She says maybe you needed to have that life experience. You needed to be, to have all the experiences that you've had over the last several years so that you could be the coach you are today and that just made total sense. If I hadn't gone through my career in HR, I wouldn't have the strength of knowledge and insights that I have today, if I hadn't been a stay-at-home mom and had a struggle the two-year struggle to get back into the workforce. When I was ready I was naive to think oh, here I am, all my skills, they're still there, they didn't go away, they actually got better. If I hadn't gone through that, I wouldn't be able to help the people that I'm helping today at least not in the level and capacity that I'm helping people today.
Christina Kohl:But it's just so interesting to see the through lines as I look back through my old files and my old filing cabinet, looking for that firefighter and EMT certification and stumbling across these things that show and demonstrate. It's like hard proof I can touch it. It's a piece of paper with words, hard proof, I can touch it. It's a piece of paper with words on it. I can touch it to say I'm on the right path, that I'm doing the thing that intrinsically I knew I needed to do and that I was put here to do, and it's just so incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. So, anyway, that's been my year of 55.
Christina Kohl:And I'm excited about my year of 56 because I know I'm on the right path and I'm going to be up leveling. Even so, I've kind of this year has been really foundational, kind of getting my processes in place and my coaching style. I got certified as a coach, in addition to my HR certification, and I've been coaching my clients and it's just been so incredible and rewarding to see their successes and to see the difference and impact that my conversations with them are having in their lives. So I'm at the point of turning 56 and I'm ready to up-level it. It's a time of expansiveness, which is I'm fully embracing already and I'm up-leveling my coaching and, in fact, at the end of this month, the end of August, I'm going to be offering a networking challenge. I don't have a cool fancy name for it yet, but it's going to be three days, no charge. I will be putting it in the show notes as I create the links for it. I don't have them yet but they will show up in the show notes and I would love.
Christina Kohl:For anyone who is interested in career change, career pivots, reentering the workforce, whatever your situation is, this networking challenge is going to help you activate the network you have, is going to be help you activate the network you have, expand your network far beyond what it is today and know how to talk about yourself in the best possible way and succinctly to be able to let people know what your goals are so that they can step in and help you. So, anyway, that's happening. And then I'm creating a group. My coaching so far has been one-on-one, but I'm going to now package that into a group coaching which will start in September and while I'll continue to serve my one-on-one clients. So I'm just really excited. I can even hear it in my own voice and excitement level as I'm talking about these things and it's just been so, so rewarding. And you know we don't.
Christina Kohl:It's kind of fun because the birthday is coming up and today's my last day being 55. And with all of those numerical things you know, my mom's 77, the 22 year difference, my daughter's 22, I'm 22 years older than my dad was Just that perspective too, especially when I think about my dad. I've not lived him by 22 years, I mean just because he was 33 when he passed and I'm 55 now. So I've had 22 more years of life than he was gifted, and I don't take that lightly, because my last day could be tomorrow, it could be who knows when. So while I'm here, I want to live life to the fullest and I want to make an impact. I want to make a difference in other people's lives and I'm just so connected to this purpose and this mission of helping particularly stay-at-home moms return to work, but really anyone that is looking for a change and wants their career path to be rewarding. That is just so much of my purpose and it's so rewarding to me.
Christina Kohl:So that's what's coming up for age 56, starting tomorrow. And tomorrow my husband is asking me today, john is asking so what do you want to do tomorrow? And I'm like well, it's kind of a cold day, it's kind of rainy here in Colorado today, but we might still go kayaking, because we haven't done it as much as I'd wanted to this summer. So we might get on the water tomorrow morning and if we don't, then we're going to go for a nice hike, because when it's cooler it's nice. So you're not in the hot sun. You know, really uncomfortable when you're exerting yourself on a hike. So we're going to do one of those two things maybe both we'll see and then, of course, spending time with family at a dinner tomorrow night. So really looking forward to that.
Christina Kohl:So anyway, that's my story of what's going on, and just reflection, and just reflection. And you know we don't need birthdays or new years or even a new school year to take stock in our lives. And you know, maybe I guess my challenge to you is what are the through lines in your life? What do you have in looking back that you like, when you have hindsight you can go. Oh yeah, that's the thing that really lit me up. And then I just got busy, you know, paying rent and food and being married and raising kids, and I just kind of lost sight of those things. But now that I'm kind of looking back purposely, you know, do you see the through lines? Is there something in your past, that is waving its hand at you from the past saying, hey, look at me, this is still a dream. Let's go for it. Now's the time today. Today's the time. So that's you know.
Christina Kohl:What I hope that this message does for you is to inspire you to consider things that might've seemed like pipe dreams before, or maybe you started down that path, but, for whatever reason, you pivoted away from it. What is it for you today that brings you purpose and meaning, and what are your inspirations and your dreams? And again, we don't need birthdays or the beginning of a new year to do that. We can do that anytime.
Christina Kohl:So if you're listening in real time, this episode is coming out on August 14th. Maybe August 14th is the day that you just pick go. You know what I'm going to do some reflection, how's my last year been? How do I want the rest of this year to go? What do I want to look like? What do I want my life to look like on my next birthday? And just maybe journal. If you journal about things, those would be some questions to consider and see what comes up for you.
Christina Kohl:All right, well, that's everything. I didn't plan on talking quite this long about me and my birthday and all of that, but I just thought it was interesting and insightful and maybe could inspire someone else to be looking back through your life to see what, through lines, are there for you, all right? Well, that's it for this week's episode. Hope you have a wonderful week. My friends and I'll talk to you next time. Hope you have a wonderful week. My friends and I'll talk to you next time. Thank you so much for listening today. I hope this episode hit home for you and, if you haven't already, be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn and say hello so I can personally thank you for listening. Until next time, remember, your story is uniquely your own and your next chapters are ready to begin.