Her Next Chapters

56. Two Dogs, One Bathrobe, and a Lesson in Showing Up

• Christina Kohl

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In this episode, we dive into a story about an unexpected act of help that led to a happy ending, highlighting how our perceived limitations can actually make us uniquely capable of making a difference. I share a personal experience involving my dog, Nelly, and a neighbor in need, illustrating the importance of stepping up even when we don’t feel perfectly equipped. We explore how doubts and imposter syndrome often hold us back but how taking action—however imperfect—can create meaningful impact.

This episode is a powerful reminder for mid-life women, including those considering a return to work or a career change, to recognize the valuable skills and strengths they have developed over time. Even if you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, you have gifts the world needs, and by choosing to engage and contribute, you can make a real difference. Listen in for inspiration to take action, embrace your gifts, and believe in your ability to show up and create change, even when it feels daunting.

Don't forget to participate in our special anniversary giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card! Leave a positive review of the show, send a screenshot of your review to Christina@HerNextChapters.com by November 10th to be entered into the drawing.  

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Send me an email ---> christina@hernextchapters.com
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Christina Kohl:

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.

Christina Kohl:

Hi, friends, and welcome to this week's episode of Her Next Chapter's podcast. I'm your host, Cchristina, and, as always, I'm so glad to have you join me today, and we are still celebrating the one-year anniversary of the podcast. So it started on November 1st of 2023, 1-1-1-2-3. And it's just really exciting to be in year two now and, as I mentioned last week, I'm having a special anniversary gift I'm giving to listeners. So if you could do me a big favor and rate and review the show, because that's what gets it in front of other people and draws other people to. It is when there are ratings and reviews, and it would really mean a lot to me if you could write a review and then take a screenshot of that review and email it to me. At christina at her next chapters, and next week, I'm going to announce the winners of a prize drawing, giving away a $50 gift card to Amazon to one lucky winner. But you have to take a screenshot of your review and email it to me so that I know who you are and announce the winner next week. You'll have to send those to me by the 10th November 10th so that I have time to announce it in next week's episode. So thank you for doing that.

Christina Kohl:

And then this week, what I want to share with you is a walk that I went on last week. That turned out to be pretty impactful and I want to share the story with you because I think it'll resonate and there's a lot of lessons within the story. So, like I said, I go for a walk with my dog, Nelly. She is a miniature Australian Shepherd, if you happen to know the breed. I didn't know this about this before we got here, because we have full-size Australian Shepherds, but apparently the miniatures are a little more reactive, they get triggered a little easier and they can just get overexcited and it can be a bit of a challenge when we go on our walks. So I am constantly scanning our surroundings for other dogs which are what's triggering for her.

Christina Kohl:

And the other day when I was on a walk I saw a person up ahead did a quick check no leash, no dog. Okay, we're good. And as we kept going I'm like, oh, hang on a second, there's no leash but there is a dog. So that was my cue to turn around very quickly. That dog was off leash, running around and I didn't want there to be a confrontation. But as I took a few steps in the opposite direction, I stopped in my tracks because I heard the woman's voice, her desperation as she called for her dog and she was feeling I could tell just feeling helpless and was almost in tears.

Christina Kohl:

And Willie, the dog that was on the run, h e was headed down the open space trail and had a whole lot of runway in front of him. Willie's person was dressed in a bathrobe and was almost in tears. No one else was around. So I took a deep breath and I decided to turn around and try to help. I knew I wasn't the best person to help in this moment because I didn't know if getting close, getting my dog close to Willie, if that would result in an aggressive interaction, o bviously the dogs, not the people, but I had to try, even with the limitation that I have of my dog being a reactive dog.

Christina Kohl:

So my bathrobed neighbor's situation was bleak. Her dog was on a joy run and she was not coaxing that dog back to her, no matter what she tried. So as we turned around I whistled to get Willie's attention and he stopped and he started coming our direction. He was still elusive but he was curious. So it was working and Nelly, my dog, was on alert and thankfully she stayed on her best behavior, which was such a relief. Nellie and I met up with Willie's human and Willie started running closer to us and running around us and after a couple of passes my neighbor was able to grab a hold of him, thank goodness, and she was so worried about him running out in the street Like he doesn't know about the street. He's going to get hit by a car and obviously, since she's in her bathrobe, she wasn't exactly planning on this walk and Willie didn't even have a collar on. So it was kind of a big deal, that you know to get him safe and I tossed her my treat bag so that Willie could be rewarded for his capture. She tossed it back, thanked me and headed home with Willie.

Christina Kohl:

So I don't know her name, she doesn't know mine and even with my limitation, my dog's reactivity, I was the right person at the right time to help. And in fact, if Nelly wasn't with me because I think, okay, her reactiveness is a limitation, this isn't going to be good. She doesn't react well to other dogs, I can't help. But if she wasn't with me, or if I maybe tied her up and tried to help without her, Willie wouldn't have been drawn to me either. Just like he's running away, free for all you know, he's off on a run without his human, he wouldn't have been drawn to me. It was my limitation, it was Nelly, the reason that I hesitated was the very reason why I was able to help, and both Willie and his person were able to go home safely because I decided to turn around and at least try to help. Who knows how long she might have been chasing Willie, the poor woman in her bathrobe, and Willie might have started in front of a car. He kept heading towards the street, but thankfully the story had a happy ending.

Christina Kohl:

So why am I sharing it with all of you? Well, what came up for me around this is that, even with our limitations, we might just be the right person at the right time, but we have to engage, we have to take action, and we may not even believe in our ability to help. We may not be the number one expert, but we can help and we can make a huge difference for someone else. And this is where I challenge you: If you are in a career pivot, whether you're going from being long time unpaid for all of your efforts and all the things that you do because you've been at home with the kids, or maybe you're pivoting, ready to do something different in your career, to not focus on your limitations, your limitations what you perceive as a limitation might actually be the asset, might actually be what's needed.

Christina Kohl:

And we hear so much about imposter syndrome. I heard someone else call that Imposterism, because it's not a syndrome. A syndrome is something that's more like in the, what's that called, the diagnostic book that psychologists or psychiatrists use to diagnose mental health conditions. Imposter syndrome is not a mental health condition. It is something that we all can maybe relate to and experience. And I like the name and I'll have to, I don't remember who I heard, saw this from, but imposter ism that we feel like we're not, like we're a fraud, we're fake, we have limitations and we don't belong or deserve what it is that we're doing. But the thing is, you and I both have more to offer than we think we do, and it would be a shame to keep your gifts and what you have to offer from the world. So I encourage you to look for opportunities where you can turn around and take action. If you see a need, be the one to fill that need, and whether that's in your work environment, your career, your household, volunteering; you are perfect as you are and, like I said and I keep pointing behind me here because that's where Nelly is, we were imperfect, but we were the ones that were needed in that moment to help save Willie and his owner.

Christina Kohl:

And there's times for me when I think of okay, who am I to be doing this coaching that I'm doing? Who am I to be doing this podcast? Who am I to be doing a group coaching? Who am I to be a one-on-one coach? Who am I to be on LinkedIn promoting all of this? Well, who am I not to be?

Christina Kohl:

I'm not perfect and there's definitely times when I struggle with that imposterism too. But even with my limitations and maybe because of my imperfections, maybe that's why I'm able to help. And, in fact, my career journey back to work took me two years, and that's not something I'm proud of. I wish it had been quicker, but I understand, because I lived that. I have a unique insight into what my mindset was at that time and likely what your mindset is if you were facing a career gap and a job search, and I was looking for coaches back then in 2016. I was looking for someone who understood. I couldn't find anyone, and that's a big part of my motivation, of why I've become that coach.

Christina Kohl:

I've become the coach that I wish I had so that I can help someone else, and knowing that it's because of my imperfections, it's because I'm showing up with who I am that I'm able to help in the way that I do, and so that's was impactful for me when I was thinking about the dog and I was afraid to engage because I didn't trust, I didn't know what was going to happen. And that shows up for me in my coaching too. It's, like you know, I'm not perfect, but I do have insights, I do have things to share, and I am making a difference for my clients and those that follow me and use the tools that I offer. And you have that too, friend. I promise you do. Even if you feel like you don't have anything to offer, we all have something to offer, and so I encourage you to look inward and this isn't even in my notes or anything, but I would encourage you to maybe journal about it and to appreciate all the things that you do and that you have abilities that are meaningful and are useful, and that someone else needs what you have. And again, you have natural gifts and talents and they were meant to be used, and if you are ready to use them outside of the home or if you're ready to use them in a new way in your career, hit me up.

Christina Kohl:

I am here. I do consultation calls. They're complimentary, there's no charge just to have a quick little strategy call and help you figure out what's next for you. And I've got this resume masterclass that's coming up. If you are looking to make a career re-entry, join the masterclass. I will have it in the show notes. It's coming up on Thursday, November 21st, so a couple more weeks away.

Christina Kohl:

If you're listening in real time. This episode is going to be live on November 6th and, yeah, later this month will be this masterclass on your comeback resume how to look at your gifts and talents, how to present them on your resume, how to not have your career break be the first thing that someone sees and then they stop looking, stop reading right. So you have talents and gifts to offer the world. You may not be perfect, but you have a lot to offer and I would love to help you build out your resume in this master class. It's an hour long, there's no charge. Would love to have you join in. If this is something that is a goal for you, particularly if you're planning on as a goal for 2025 of going back to work, this is the perfect thing to get you started. So, again, that'll be in the show notes for you to sign up and don't forget to please rate and review the show. Send me a screenshot, part of the anniversary celebration and just helping get the word out about the show, and next week I'll be able to announce the winner of the $50 Amazon gift card.

Christina Kohl:

All right, well, thank you so much, everyone for listening. Enjoy your walk with your dog, if that's what you're doing right now, or maybe you're running errands, um, or, like me, I like to listen when I'm folding laundry. Gives me something to do besides just folding clothes. So thank you for being with me, as always, and I'll talk to you next week. Bye for now. 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.