I had my first mid-life crisis when I was in my early thirties.  After ten years of working my socks off, I realised that going home in tears every night was not healthy.  And what was worse, I was not even achieving anything.  What a waste of a life.

I spent several sessions with a careers counsellor.  This was one of the most positive and liberating experiences I have had.  I learned that I wanted to help others to grow and develop, and I realised I had been supressing my creative instincts and abilities for years.

I got a job as a management development consultant, coaching managers and teams to be the best they can be.  I studied for my MA in Management Learning with Lancaster University.  I took watercolour classes and started working through Betty Edwards Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  But although I loved the work that I did, my company continued to frustrate me and I couldn’t do my best work.

The opportunity to take redundancy came up, so I grabbed it with both hands.  I enrolled in college, studying art and design which was completely new to me.  I continued to coach friends and ex-colleagues, and they told me I had a gift for this and should do more.  I started to write, and have completed several writing courses. 

I’ve realised that I need a portfolio-career.  I have also realised that I make my career up as I go along.  I suspect most of us do; we just don’t realise how we can turn this to our best advantage and create a life that fits us like a favourite pair of PJs.