A new chapter

begins today.

It’s April 1, the start of a new spring month. I wanted to come back to this space to give my readers a little update. Well, a big update actually. :)

About this time last year, with my bipolar symptoms in remission again, I decided to challenge myself to go back to school in a sense. I was working in an administrative position at my kids’ old elementary school, feeling a bit stagnant and bored, when I stumbled upon health coaching. I started researching the online schools where I could obtain a certification, and found one I really liked, so I took the leap and enrolled.

I was energized by the thought of taking classes again and learning everything I could about how to be a health coach. The course was organized into modules that explained everything from nutrition to exercise and stress management and more. Going through the content was fun and engaging. This felt like a good move and I was excited to jump into practice coaching with my classmates and pro bono clients. I wanted to specialize in bipolar disorder since that was what I knew the most about, so I began researching what that might look like. The online course I was taking to get certified taught us to pick a niche and then do thorough consumer research to confirm that our specialty was going to be a feasible option, so I conducted interviews with individuals who fit my ideal client profile.

The research was telling, but I didn’t listen.

I interviewed ten individuals and only one said she would maybe invest in a bipolar health coach. The rest said they didn’t have the resources, although they felt it would be beneficial. This should have been my sign to pivot to another niche, but I refused to believe what the research was advising: my business idea wouldn’t thrive.

Upon graduating from the online coaching school and receiving my certification, I ordered business cards and printed trifold brochures describing my coaching business, Bipolar Balance. I announced my business on my social media platforms and took printed letters introducing myself to all the mental health practices in my area, asking them to display my brochures in their waiting rooms.

I had several inquiries and a few intro calls with potential clients, but unfortunately, no actual clients materialized. The thought of continuing to promote myself online to the same audience made me feel utterly uncomfortable. I slipped away from social media and decided to try to look for full-time employment instead of continuing to pursue my own business.

I recognized that by not recognizing what the research was trying to tell me, I made a mistake. I wanted so badly for my idea to fly. The thing I always wanted while going through bipolar episodes was a person who had been there before, walking beside me, encouraging me to do the things that would help me recover. I thought I could be that person. But market research exists for a reason. I learned the hard way.

And so I began applying to full-time jobs in September. The job market was very tight, but I managed to find some positions that fit my background in recruiting and also nonprofit work. In November I came across a job that seemed like it had been written, word for word, for someone like me. It was a leadership opportunity for a brand-new nonprofit organization focused on health and mental wellness, connected to a United Methodist church down the street from our house. They were seeking someone with start-up nonprofit experience and strong fundraising capabilities. I applied immediately and crossed my fingers for an interview.

Over the next four months I would go through a series of three interviews before receiving the offer that would begin this next chapter.

Today I start my new job as Executive Director of Wellness Loudoun, a new 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Ashburn, Virginia. I’m the first hire and am tasked with launching and leading this new community-based wellness center, the facility of which we will break ground on in about a year. Focused on mental, physical and emotional health, Wellness Loudoun will offer classes, support groups, and individual and group therapy, as well as walking clubs, financial literacy courses, and many other ways to connect and grow as a community. I cannot wait to get started in building out this vision to save and change lives by supporting the wellness of our community through Wellness Loudoun.

I truly believe there are reasons we’re led in different directions in our lives. There are no wrong turns. There are simply choices that lead to different paths. Everything I learned through creating and leading This Is My Brave will help me as I begin in this new role and I am extremely grateful for everything I learned along that beautiful journey. Today is a new start on a somewhat familiar path, one with endless opportunities, and I am over the moon excited to dive in.

I’ll keep you posted. Happy first day of April!