2020: the SWITCH

Facing crossroads, taking decisions to move on, I learnt. But this time I didn’t know what to do anymore…

The context

• Lockdown / loneliness

• Turning 40 (Happy quarantaine day 😅)

• Big family loss

• Hard pressure in a the remote work environment

The challenge

Find a way out when all the doors are closed. Literally. I couldn’t stand being on my own anymore, I couldn’t stand stearing at a computer all day and I needed help to reinvent my life.

Here I found SWITCH Collective, an alternative to the standard skills assessment (bilan de compétences). The strength of the program is the collective: together we would find our own way.

Key success factors

• 20 caring people from different backgrounds and generations supporting each other and sharing experiences

• dedicated time to remember what is important and explore « new » options

• a coach with a method to orchestrate the group progression

• commitment and determination : it has to change!

My focus

• Visualise the connections between things I do

• Highlight what is essential and not negotiable

• Define priorities and milestones

• Make it happen!

Highlights from the SWITCH program

The results

Let’s say it straight: I did not find a new job immediately. I am still searching 😇

But this was the kick start of my new life, filled with what makes me happy!

During this four months investigation, I noticed there where things I really wanted to achieve in life that I haven’t even started! Travel around Latin America, danse tango, sail around the world…

But I couldn’t afford dropping everything all at once at that time.

In the meantime, going straight to Argentina to take a few tango lessons or travel around for holidays was not enough for a life changer!

The program helped me to build a roadmap with priorities and milestones (not deadlines 😉)…

As soon as « they » opened the door, I flew to Granada in Spain to take my first Spanish and tango lessons. I traveled Andalusia for 3 months, working remotely from co-living spaces.

I met amazing people all along the way and it felt like a resurrection after months of coma.

During this trip, I also got a new job that lead naturally towards the next step on my roadmap…

To be continued in next posts… 😃