Journal, Thoughts & Ideas

September 1996: Career Clarity in an Old Journal Entry

So I found this entry in an old journal while I was looking for the notebook I used when I did The Artist's Way many years ago. A friend asked me for some insight into my Artist's Way experience, but instead I got sidetracked by re-discovering entries like this one above which I think could be insightful for other professionals navigating career coaching and transitions. Since I wholeheartedly advocate for journaling and reflection in my narrartive coaching, I am sharing everything: the anxiety, vulnerability, and honesty that shaped my experience as I navigated my own shifting story. I had started teaching just two weeks earlier, stepping into a full-time English teacher position in San Francisco without any prior formal training. It was a leap of faith with the stipulation that I begin teacher training “as soon as possible.” Looking back at this entry, I can vividly recall how confronting it felt to be challenged by teenagers with attitude, even describing myself as an “old teacher” at the age of 25. I chuckle now at my meticulous recounting of grammar-focused groupwork, but even more amazed that I managed to craft that lesson intuitively. However, the next entry offers a raw snapshot of exhaustion, exasperation, and the dread of facing each passing day. This entry is a stark reminder of how those shifting emotions and (daily) shifting experiences played such an integral role in my successful early-career transition into teaching at the time. Over the course of two journal pages I see snippets of 11 September, 19 September, and 10 October 1996, and I see how my storytelling, if only for myself at the time, and my belief in making the Shift, even if I didn't have the formal training at the time, leads me directly to to what I eventually recognised as career clarity, and where I am right now.

What StoryShift Means, And Why It Exists

StoryShift.com.au is where narrative becomes strategy.But behind the name is something deeper. It's a belief that the stories we tell about our work are never just words. They shape what happens next. They shape how others see us, trust us, and make space for our leadership. I created StoryShift because I kept seeing the same pattern. Talented, thoughtful people whether professionals, creatives, or leaders feeling stuck inside a version of their story that no longer fits. Sometimes they were quietly holding more than their job title suggested. Sometimes they were in transition but unsure how to talk about it. Often, they were waiting for someone else to name what they already knew. StoryShift helps you stop waiting. Through coaching, reflection, and powerful language tools, we map the story you're actually living, not just the one that’s been assigned to you. We unpack the roles you’ve outgrown, the clarity you’ve earned, and the leadership that is already underway, even if it is not yet titled. This is not about rebranding. It is about reframing what you are already doing — as leadership. Whether you are moving up, moving out, or staying and shifting, your story is your most strategic asset. It is not just personal. It is directional. And when you claim it, others follow. This reflection comes from my narrative coaching practice at StoryShift.com.au, where I help professionals explore identity, voice, and clarity , not just achievement.

The Wobble of Arrival

“I used to know what I wanted. Now I’ve achieved it, and I feel completely untethered.” I really heard someone say this. And it reminded me thatsometimes we lose ourselves not in failure but in “arrival”. We get there; we tick the boxes, and then the big questions begin. Given my own career transition and awareness of how much I have already achieved, I can attest to this wobbly arrival. Think about it: where in your life have you “arrived” but feel more lost than ever? This reflection comes from my narrative coaching practice at StoryShift.com.au, where I help professionals explore identity, voice, and clarity, not just achievement.

Follow the Breadcrumbs

You know that saying “Do what you love”? I’ve never found that all that helpful. Sometimes what you love doesn’t feel obvious. It’s actually a lot quieter. For me, the better signal is energy. You know that feeling you get when you lose track of time. When you forget to check your phone. When you accidentally skip lunch because your brain is on fire in the best possible way. I used to get that feeling when I was teaching. Or when I was planning a series of lessons I was hoping would blow their minds. I think those moments are breadcrumbs. Little clues. And this is how I use storytelling with others. Together we find their trail of breadcrumbs . . . This reflection comes from my narrative coaching practice at StoryShift.com.au, where I help professionals explore identity, voice, and clarity, not just achievement.

Who Are You Without the Proof?

“If I stop achieving, I’m afraid I’ll disappear.”A client said this in a moment of free-flowing thought. We both stopped and let silence fill the space. She uncovered that it wasn’t about ambition; it was about identity. My next questions were:Who are you without the proof?Who are you without the productivity? And my favourite question:“If you didn’t have to perform your worth, what would you finally allow yourself to pursue?” This reflection comes from my narrative coaching practice at StoryShift.com.au, where I help professionals explore identity, voice, and clarity, not just achievement.

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