Belonging
BelongingIn my previous post, I mentioned that fate had dealth me a hand; a hand no one really aspires to. My full time career work is electronic design and I created my technical website PCB Substrate Systems or PCBss.com to attract contract work. As per the economy at that time, my full-time paid position of employment was eliminated – unhitching me – losing my footing – me . . . A Toastmaster !
I am sure many of us have been thru these career transitions. Some are of our own choosing as when we branch out on our own and have to undergo 1+ years of famine while we get setup & established.
But I wasn`t worried. Why ? Because I am involved in Toastmasters ! For me, it is a sense of belonging, despite what my career does.
But other times, it is without our control, choosing or timing. It can leave us hitting a bump on the road that can divert us from our desired’ trajectory for months or even years.
Along with these sudden job & career transitions, we may find that our network of friends, colleagues and co-workers also gets jarred. We lose our connection to them, as now, we drop down a level or 2 in their priority. Becuase they are still employed, their necessity to keep connected with you may not be as urgent as yours. When the economy takes a breather and pulls back, one can experience these transitions more than one cares to admit. One finds it not so easy to stay connected with connections. As much as one tries, it may still prove difficult.
Fortunately for me, I am in Toastmasters. In reflecting, I realized that, regardless of what happened in my working paid world, Toastmaster time was constant, consistent and always there for me to rely on. Despite losing my job, my speech & toastmasters projects were still there. My duties as Area Governor were still there. And most importantly, all my networks of TM friends, colleagues and connections, were all still there and in place.
For me, it was Toastmasters ! Find your granite that will stay constant, regardless of how tumultuous your career may get !
