Escaping the “rat race”….. Taking a risk…...My story
As we get nearer retirement, our satisfaction with our job can reduce. The thought of having time to spend doing what we want, without demands from an employer. However, there then comes the issue of how to spend the time. It is a double edged sword for some people.
This is what happened for me. After 7 months off with anxiety due to my work, I came back to the results of a restructure, and decided this was no longer a place I wanted to be. I had been checking my pension forecast for a few years to help me decide when to “escape”. I had been on a walking weekend at the end of my time off as a way to clear my head. I love walking. It is my “go to” for when I need to break free from negative thoughts or blockages. The leader said I’d make a great walk leader! But I wanted to do more.
I decided to become a coach for people, specifically junior doctors at the time as that was where I had been working, to help their mental health while walking in the natural environment. I had training in start up business and how to check your market etc. I had a great website, brand (sorted by a friend of mine who is an expert at these things!) and fabulous leaflets to promote my work. I connected with local GP surgeries (people I knew from my previous job too), took advice and connected with the local “social prescribing team. I linked with a psychotherapist, a dating agency (to do walks for their members), shared my interview on Torbay Hospital Digital TV and spoke on Radio Devon but nothing got me the business I had hoped for. The reason why - I lost heart. My heart was in helping people with their mental health but I found I was only doing the walk leading and I didn’t “just” want to do that.
Another thing happened; I met a man who taught me Argentine Tango! Now if that isn’t a pretty good distraction, I don’t know what is! I made a choice to keep my weekends for dancing and him. I prioritised away from my business as apparently most people want to walk only at weekends. I had wanted to do the one to one coaching and had a lovely little set up of mapping the walk and taking photos so that the client could do it again on their own afterwards so it was a fabulous offer.
I have no regrets. The Tango community is fabulous and I have met some lovely people and had some adventures with my “tango man”. Since lockdown, I have revisited the business idea as there is no dancing and now I am established in that area, I can dedicate more time to doing other things my heart desires. That is helping people through their lives in any way I can to help them remain positive whatever changes come along.