On the sidelines of a Career Break

From time to time I thought of quitting. Despite the fact that I always loved my job, which wasn't work at all, but pleasure, dedication, passion.

"I attached the rope to myself and jumped." – I’ve used to say the bungee jumping motif to describe my way of working as an FMCG marketer and leader. I did all this without strings attached in my twenties and since the birth of both of my daughters.

I was always renewed by new and new challenges and in the meantime worked more and more on myself, deepened in self-knowledge processes and became more and more curious: What happens after saying "NO"?

Are there still opportunities there? Are there any thrills?

Then I couldn't make a decision for a long time. I was always drawn in by my instinctive ME, my "rope fixing" mode of operation and I always rather jumped.

Then 4 years ago, a position came along, another challenge. There was another mountain waiting for me to climb. It was an amazing ride. Looking back, it was an avalanche that overturned everything, with huge ups and downs, but with real fulfillment, real responsibility, and independence. It started then and there.

I took responsibility not only for the teams and EUR millions, but also for Myself.

I started running with the support of a trainer, based on heart rate, four times a week. I started with wlaking and made it to the half marathon. I still run to this day. It's been 2.5 years. After a while, I tied the rope there, jumped there: improving my physical existence, changing my lifestyle, measuring heart rate and HRV, enjoying functional training, and the science of regeneration. Another journey of self-knowledge, now also through my body.

After 1 year, the next big ?YES” opportunity in the company came to me. Then, I already felt that THIS IS MY TIME TO FINALLY SAY "NO"! But I wavered, the old ingrained behavior came back. I said "YES". I jumped.

But my body, which I had learned to notice by then, was signaling. It was very striking! I heard clearly what it was saying. After half a year of trying, I said finally "NO"!

It came so loud and so unstoppable that nothing, but nothing was ever so sure. I knew and felt that the direction I was heading in my leadership no longer matched what the company, the new opportunity, could have offered.

I moved away at enormous speed and finally jumped into MY TIME. I quit and enjoyed life for a year??

Every moment and every day of the past year was a true fulfillment. Everything started to come full circle. It became clear when and why I get sick and how I can stay healthy for a long time. I experienced the fantastic benefits of the feminine energies of slowing down, after a long, non-stop masculine leadership. I can now look at business and ?multiworld” with external eyes, from an external perspective.

Running was not just a physical challenge anymore. It became an experience. I ran with my Dear Husband at the North Pole, from Santa Claus Village. I ran the UltraBalaton at 8pm, 3am and 7am, surrounded by an amazing Team. I ran my first half marathon at the wonderful Lake Garda. I ran the Ring in Vienna, ran in the summer on the beach and at the foot of the snowy ski slopes.

We became a real team with Rudi, Lili and Maja as a Family. We jumped a level in communication and togetherness. A whippet dog joined our vizsla too. I traveled home to my favorite hometown every 3 months and spent 3 days with my parents. We discovered new cafes and played a lot of board games.

I have NEVER, EVER worried about my future. I never worried about when the next challenge would come. I knew, I felt, that it would find me when I was ready.

It was the best decision of my life. A lot of things worked out. Then and there, when I was really ready. The point is that I was finally able to connect with myself in more and more areas. This has become an invaluable experience.

Now I'm starting to connect again, but with new people, teams, and businesses. In an environment with inspiring leaders and peers, where I can continue the leadership journey I have started.

It was no longer the constant desire to prove myself and the power of saying "YES" that decided, but I chose them based on their energy and I believe that's why they "called" me too.

Nothing can stand in the way of connecting with myself anymore. I will continue. Even if challenges in business life come. The process is irreversible, I will remain the new ME.

#freeyourselfup #myway #authenticme #responsibility #alotstilltocome