Secrets From a Coach - Debbie Green & Laura Thomson's Podcast

263: Reclaiming Motivation When the Tank Feels Empty

• Season 21 • Episode 263

Share episode

Send us a text

What happens when the best-laid plans get derailed: through redundancy, setbacks or sudden change? How do you pick yourself up, rebuild confidence and find the motivation to get moving again?

In the second episode of our Energy Refuel & Reset mini-series, we are joined by the brilliant Zoe Lewis, co-founder of AgileSource, who shares her honest and uplifting story of bouncing back after redundancy.

As a lifelong recruiter, Zoe brings invaluable insight from both sides of the table:  from navigating her own career crossroads, to helping others find new roles in the digital, data and cloud technology space.

She talks about how an “attitude of gratitude” helped her reclaim her career sparkle, why their company logo features two magpies, and how small acts of joy can fuel big shifts in self-belief.

A warm and practical listen for anyone facing a setback and needing a boost of motivation, perspective and positive energy.

You can connect with Zoe via Linked In and check out her recruitment business here AgileSource Recruitment 

SPEAKER_03:

Coming up on this week's Secrets from a Coach.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm intrigued actually. So this is a bit of a curveball. When you turned up at these events, um, did you say to people, Yeah, well actually I've just been made redundant, what if you did, what response did you get back? Because I'm always fascinated by this. Some of the biggest wins are the relationships. Okay. Some people I hadn't literally spoken to for 10, 15 years, when I put that open to work logo on, just coming out of the woodwork and asking how they can help. Let's meet for coffee, let's have a chat. Who can I connect you with? Um, and it just shows me the importance of always say being a person of your word so people do remember you and they want to help you when when the chips are down.

SPEAKER_03:

Secrets from a coach. Thrive and maximise your potential in the evolving workplace. Your weekly podcast with Debbie Green of Wishfish and Laura Thompson Stavely of Phenomenal Training. Debs.

SPEAKER_02:

Law, are you alright?

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, I'm doing well. How full has your tank been this week?

SPEAKER_02:

Um pretty full up to the point where you go, is it going to actually keep going or is it just too heavy to move?

SPEAKER_03:

You're running on vapours.

SPEAKER_02:

Literally feels like it, yeah.

SPEAKER_03:

I don't I don't think you're the only one who's feeling a little bit kind of uh like you're at the uh NW Energy Bank, which is why we thought that it would be a good idea for this current four-part mini series to look at energy reset and refuel. Bit of R R. So last week we looked at how do you keep your stamina for the long run. That is um work. And uh for those of us for whom this isn't our first radio, how do you still have uh beginners? Oh, that sounds like an interesting transformation programme, even if it's the tenth time you've kind of been around that block. So uh if uh if that appeals to you, that was last week's episode, and this one I'm super excited. We've got a dear, dear friend of mine who was in conversation with you, and uh, we're gonna hear from um Zoe, because I know your tea are up in a moment, but we thought it'd be really interesting to hear, not only from someone who personally has been through an unexpected redundancy, yeah, but also actually is in the industry of recruitment because actually her perspective of what it means from a candidate perspective to pull yourself together, reset your motivation, if you've had a bit of a knockback and a setback, how do you do it? And uh I can't wait to hear that conversation with you.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it was uh it was such a good conversation, and it was right up my street as well because as you'll get to hear, Laura, she was talking about purpose and values and how important that is and finding the reason why you're on this planet. So, shall we take a listen? Hello everyone. Um, as you know, Laura and I have been talking this month in particular about that reset, refueling, and getting your motivation back because it's super, super, super hard to be able to do that, especially when you're faced by life challenges and what's going on around you. So, joining us today, I am delighted, um, is Zoe Lewis, who's gonna introduce herself properly to us in a moment, so you'll get to hear her and get find out a bit more about her. But she's joining us as somebody who truly knows what it means to connect people with purpose, including herself, and she's gonna share that with us. With over 25 years in the recruitment world, that's amazing. Um, Zoe's mastered the art of spotting talent, nurturing relationships, and creating brilliant fits between people and organisations, from the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, through to Arsenal Football Club. Somebody had to do that, and Samsung. So welcome, Zoe. I'm so delighted you could join us. So we've got to give our listeners a bit more. Thank you. Give our listeners a bit more about you and your background. Okay, yeah, absolutely delighted to. So many years ago, degree in psychology. Um, thought I would go into the criminal side and ended up working as a special constable for the Metropolitan Police for 10 years. Oh wow. Early on, I decided I didn't want to do that full time. Um, so like a lot of people do, just stumbled into the crazy world of recruitment and made it a career. And what a blessing that has been. Uh, I absolutely love it. It's the opportunity to help people find work, meaningful work, and also help clients uh who need to solve their uh their business problems. So um, yes, I've been doing that now for 26 years, focusing in sort of project management and IT space. Yes. Um, historically looking predominantly at the public sector, uh, and obviously some of the large government departments that you uh mentioned there, and I absolutely love it. It's brilliant fun. Oh, it sounds like it. I bet it brings all sorts of different things to the party, and and you having to think about getting up every day, being motivated to do it, and then what happens when the motivation disappears or it can be harder. So talk me through, I suppose, when your motivation feels low or has been low. Um, what were sort of the first things you noticed about that? And I suppose, how do you know when you're absolutely running on empty because of something that's happened? Tell us a bit more about that. Yeah, sure, absolutely. I think in in my previous life, um, when I worked for a large consultancy, um, I sort of forced myself sometimes to be optimistic and positive and motivated because I had a team that were depending on me to be such. And I think as a leader, um, you you need to uh maybe sometimes put that smiley, uh smiley face on one perhaps necessarily um feeling it inside. Yeah. So I think perhaps while I wasn't feeling uh motivated, some of the things I would notice in myself would be like a low energy uh levels, uh I guess a bit of a lack of purpose, a lack of direction. Um, I wouldn't be going to the gym and um probably overindulging in food and alcoholic beverages, uh, and generally perhaps not taking care of myself and perhaps being uh as engaged with with friends and social uh as possible. Um yeah, I think that's probably some of the main factors. And I suppose in the work that you've done, and you've seen many people come through the door looking for new jobs, new opportunities. Um, what do you notice in other people, especially those people that uh certainly what we see sometimes they've gone for a million and one interviews, they're really struggling to find the next job. Um and you can feel that energy, can't you? Just be sapped out of them. What do you see? Lack thereof, uh energy. And it says that that that lack of purpose. And sometimes it comes down to an intrinsic sort of lack of self-belief and self-worth because they've had the stuffing knocked out of them because it's constant rejection after rejection. You've mentioned there um purpose, you've mentioned that a few times, and and it's like music to my ears. You have to know why you've been put on this planet, right? And you have to find it. So, how so I'm gonna ask you, what is your purpose and how did you go about finding it? Most certainly. Uh, I genuinely believe that my purpose in life uh is to spread joy. Um and that very much uh ties in with the company, uh the company that I set up at the start of the year, Agile Source, uh, and our logo, which is two magpies, uh, and that is one for sorrow, two for joy. Yeah. Because I think it's it's so important to have a purpose and to actually want to help people, to help people find work. Because again, the the impact of that is it gives them purpose. Um, it allows them to pay their bills, to look after their children, to go on holidays and so on and so forth, and also to continue learning and involve themselves uh to the next opportunity as well. Yeah. So uh yeah, purpose is something I feel very passionate about, and I just really want to help people understand what their purpose is. So I think for for me, um, and we'll again talk about this a bit later on, when when I was in a bit of a dark place this time last year, yeah, um, I wanted to realign myself with my values. I just took a blank piece of paper uh and I wrote down, I mean, what what do I want to be famous for? Fast forward to the end of my life. Um what what is gonna I'm gonna look back on and reflect and think, do you know what? That made me so happy. It brought me so much joy. And again, it's what what do you do that makes you feel alive? Yeah. Um makes you feel in that state of flow. Uh, and a large part of that for me is helping others. Um, and I think probably I hadn't realized until I was made redundant, um, the actual the importance of recruitment and actually really helping people um to find work and purpose and joy. And joy, I love that. Because it's really difficult, isn't it? When you think about what people are going through at the moment, and yeah, I mean, I obviously you mentioned you've been made redundant. I'll get you to tell us a little bit more about that, but it it's you know, it's happening, we're seeing it more and more everywhere, everywhere. It's just so scary, isn't it, for some people. Scary as I face it. So when I um when it happened to me at the start of the year, everyone was open to work uh logos, it was just cluttered uh everywhere on LinkedIn. It felt like the the world uh was looking for for new work and new opportunities, and obviously there's advantages, um, especially for recruiters of having that that logo and uh looking for opportunities uh out there as well. But at the same time, it can be overwhelming when you feel that so many people are in the same boat as you and looking for work, and obviously there's only a certain number of jobs out there, too. Yes, yeah. How do you how do you stand out as well? I think how do you stand out and how I suppose that's a really good question because obviously, in the work that you know Laura and I do, we obviously have people come and approach us and say, Yeah, I'm thinking of changing my career, or the company is going through an organizational structure and but I don't know where to begin. And what you know, we signpost them to people, but I think what you mentioned about just taking a moment and just stopping and thinking about what is your next move look like in your roles, certainly within the 25 years of recruitment, how have you helped people navigate their way towards maybe not their dream job, but certainly a job that it brings them some level of joy and happiness? How have you helped them? Well, I think first of all, it's about forming a relationship with the person that you're trying to help so you can really understand what motivates them, what drives them, where do they want to be, and get everybody is motivated by so many different factors. And sometimes it's really good to make people think about um what those factors are and where do they want to be in five years, ten years, when they want to retire. Um, and then you can sort of drill down uh another level uh and find out again what type of work and why do they want to be doing that type of work. What advice would you give to others to start to look at that? You mentioned you looked at your own values, you sat down with a blank piece of paper and went, what do I want to be? Where do I be? What's important for me? But some people don't want to go and explore that, do they? They find it a bit, well, I got told once it's a bit woo-woo, and um go, okay, tell me more. Fair enough. Um I've I've always been a massive uh believer advocate of having uh sort of coaches and mentors uh in life as well. So when I found myself in my situation last year, uh really fortunate to have a number of people to talk to just about the art of the possible. Yeah. What what should I, what could I uh do do next uh in in Zoe 2.0. So when you got made redundant, um I suppose some people know that's coming, right? I mean, I've been made redundant in my whole career about 11 times, hence I went out on my own because I feel, yes. It was back in the naughty and the early 90s where it was just it was very different. Um, whereas now I think, you know, well, one, I think I'd be unemployable. So um, but now I just think, okay, it's a state, it's a stage we go through, and I think more and more people are going to unfortunately experience it as some form. So when it happened to you, was that did you know it was coming? Was it a complete blind sedue? Right. I was blind-sided, yeah. Um I'd I'd worked for the consultancy for for 15 years. Right. Uh been intrinsic uh and it's sort of gross, uh, and I considered myself to be needed or inestable for the future, yeah, as well. And uh I clearly was wrong. And you know what? If you'd asked me at that moment in time when when I had that tap on the shoulder, my my world collapsed. It literally fell apart. Uh overnight I went from being a confident, self-assured person to not wanting to get out of bed. Um it was that it was the the fear, fear of the future, um, as you say, that loss of purpose. Yeah. Um I just generally didn't know what to do. I I felt I felt embarrassed, I felt a bit of a failure, if I'm totally honest. Yes. Um, and I couldn't really talk about it without getting really upset. Yeah. Um, so yeah, I would say it was a dark place. Yeah. Um, but what I did, that happened to me on a Monday, and then I I'd been booked to go to a networking event the following Thursday, and I did not want to go. I did not want to get out of bed. However, I I I forced myself. Good. Um I went and paid for it, so I thought I really should go. Yes, I'm going to go, yeah. Do you know what? It was an absolute blessing. Because I I turned up, um, it's an all-female networking event, uh, and I walked into the room and they say, Well, what we do is we go around and we ask everybody two questions. Hi, how you doing? How can I help you? How can you help me? Nice. And that was really, really quite useful. Because again, it's not just you going around talking about who you are, but it's about seeing how you can help other people with your your network skills and the experience, the history that you've got. Yes. Um, and I think I didn't see it at the time, but that was the start of of sort of the the pivot of you've got the change curve, haven't you? And I guess I was in the lovely change curve. That's denial and anger. There was there was anger, and I'm not an angry person, so I didn't want to be angry, but I felt myself a bit angry. Um, so I I had to flip that in the bud. Um, and then it's the say the sadness and the fear about the future and what you're going to do. Um, but then there comes a point, and for me, it probably took a good few weeks, if not a couple of months, to sort of reach that level of acceptance. Okay, this has happened. Um, I need to deal with it, I need to move on. What am I gonna do? I think being kind to yourself is super important. Yes. Um, so for me, I just gave my little self a couple of weeks just out, just spending time with family and friends, doing fun stuff, taking the dogs uh for for walks in the forest. Because again, that's when I felt calm and and happy. Um, and then because it was Christmas time as well, so it was really perfect timing. Perfect timing. It was like, well, just take some time out, and then in the new year, new you, and let's just see what what it's gonna bring. I think a large element of that is just is faith and it's it's sort of trusting the universe, and a number of really bizarre things happened to me. Um, as an example, somebody I hadn't spoken to in 15 years contacted me at the blue when I was in my dark place and asked me to be part of their charity boards. Oh wow. Um, and again, that in itself, the fact that somebody's like, oh, we want Zoe to do this, helped me get out of that sort of spiral of negativity. Okay, but do you know what? There are young people out there, there's a charity's action for children. Right. Uh there's a lot of young people out there in poverty. Look, I I don't deserve to sit here and feel sorry for myself. Um that goes back to my my gratitude attitude lists that I would also write to try and get me out of my next negative spiral. Um, and yeah, I wanted to be able to give back and help people, and obviously, in order to do that, I realized that I needed to have a job to have the money to be able to help people as well. So I think you sort of have this realization uh at some point, and again it could take a little while to get there, um, that yeah, you've got to dust yourself off. Yeah. Um don't don't play the victim because it is really easy to do that. It's easy, yeah. It is. Like, woe is me, I've been maybe done. I've been done too. Exactly. Um, and I I heard a lovely phrase the other day which really resonated, which was don't see it as a setback, see it as a setup.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, nice.

SPEAKER_02:

And absolutely, as I look back now on the last year, I mean, I will use the word blessing. The redundancy for me now is an absolute blessing because I've got the freedom autonomy. Uh and don't get me wrong, it's very hard work um at the moment, but I I can see that in in the future there's the potential for great things, and having the opportunity to spend my time uh with amazing clients I probably wouldn't have talked to had I've stayed in the previous organization, yeah. Uh, and to be involved in a couple of uh trusty charity boards, it's just amazing. I I feel so much more alive and happier now than I did a year ago when I thought I was in my happy place. It's it's so it's so weird. I love that because I'm always a believer that if you're open to it, it will show itself, right? And trusting the power of the universe. Yes, absolutely. And I would say trust the process. But you have to be, I believe, in quite a mentally safe, strong, resilient space to even notice these opportunities. So the fact that you went, I'm going to that networking event, I've paid for it, I'm going. Do you know? Do you remember back as to what was it just the fact you paid and I was going to go and not lose my money, or was it something else? Not at all. It was the fact that I I probably subconsciously realised that I just can't sit around and feel sorry for myself. Got you. Um, and you just never know who you're gonna meet in these events. That's true, yeah. And so, as painful as it was at the time, uh and I remember walking to that meeting almost crying because I was so scared to go in the room because my identity had gone. Yeah. Four days before I'd been, yes, I'm Zoe's director, blah blah. Yeah, um, but now I'm going in, I'm Zoe's just the maid's redundant. Redundant, yeah. I don't have a job. Yeah, and that that job is such a large part of your identity. It is. Um, especially when you're going to networking events. Yes, because everybody wants to be able to put you somewhere, don't they? And don't they? They want to yeah, pigeonhole you, pigeonhole you somewhere, yeah. And you know, and I'm intrigued actually. So this is a bit of a curveball. When you turned up at these events, um, did you say to people, yeah, well, actually, I've just been made redundant, what if you did, what response did you get back? Because I'm always fascinated by this. I most certainly did. Um, because again, there's no point being anything other than authentic in yourself. Yes. Um, yeah, some people looked a little bit shocked and didn't know what to say. There's like a bit of a bit of bit of pity. Um, but I think also there was how can I help you? Is there anything I can do to help you? Nice. I don't know if it's just because it's a whi a room full of women, but there was that real it felt that real buzz and that desire to to want to help a sister um get out of this this situation. Being able to have that connection, people around you, um, you know, if even if you could because some people get sent across the other side of the world and get made redundant, and then they oh, you know, what do they do? Do they come back? Do they stay? Do they it's not being afraid to ask for help. Yeah. Um some people just find it really difficult to do that. Uh and I think there are times in life, and that's a great example of one, where so you just got to ask for help because you just don't know who knows who and who knows what. And just be open to opportunities and possibilities. Yeah, because somebody somewhere will always connect you with somebody, and I and I I love that, I love the power of connection because it, you know, um yeah, I mentioned you know, made redundant 11 times, but every time, you know, it was a connection that was made that when I eventually set up on you know my own and went out on our own, it was easy to have that extended network and people move around, and I think it is an opportunity. Um without a shadow. You never know when, you know, but the relationships are key, as you mentioned, right up front. What I want to ask, Zo, is um around a little bit around boundaries and burnout, because you know, that there is so much talk around boundaries at the moment and looking after yourself and overwhelm. And I think when you're in a position where you're lacking in motivation, you haven't got that energy, or on the flip side, you've completely pivoted and set up on your own, that brings its whole other realm of difficulties. You could be working 24-7 if you wanted. But I suppose what role do you see boundaries playing in keeping motivation sustainable? Yeah, I think boundaries are a really important factor, and I think, especially in the day and age in which we live, yeah, uh for me having digital detox uh boundaries is is really important because we see so many people just glued to their their phones uh all all the time. And I think um I personally think that that's not massively healthy. So um, yeah, having time out and away from uh from social media uh and phones, I think, is really important. So that's an important boundary. Uh and it's about again going back to what makes you the best version of yourself. Yes. Um and for me, what reduces my cortisol levels and those endorphins going, it it's it's all the standard stuff. It's the eating healthily, it's not drinking too much, it's going to the gym. So I guess it's making sure that you have time for you and putting yourself first. Because again, in society, sometimes we're taught not to do that. Yes. Um, but I've certainly learnt in the last year the importance of looking after myself. And if I'm looking after myself, then I can be more of service to other people. Yeah, very true. And I that brings me so nicely onto I looked at obviously your post that you put out. I think it was a couple of days ago actually, but it it just resonated. And I just wanted to um get you to you said, having just turned to the big five zero, I love it. Um, some of your you shared some of your life lessons um in that wonderful world that recruitment has told you. And when I look down some of this list, I mean you've got an awesome list, and we're signpost people to you on LinkedIn, but it was just some of the things that jumped out that I thought, actually, they're just as relevant, aren't they, in whatever it is you're doing. So if that's okay with you, are you okay if I pick a couple and ask you to expand on them? Absolutely. You'd be delighted to. The very first one you put up here was always keep your word. If you can't do it, don't say it. So, where did that lesson come from? I think for for me, it's always it's about trust. Um I used to say this to my team all the time: trust is a must. If you're gonna commit to something, you you've got to do to the best of your ability everything you can to follow through on that. Yeah. If for any reason you can't do it, just be totally honest from the offset and say, I'll do my best, but realistically, that's not going to happen.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um, because I think at the end of the day, it's the old adage, you're only really as good as your your words. Uh, and and I think having trust and integrity uh in the current any day, any age, really, is is really fundamentally important. Not just for your self-worth, um, but again for the for the people that you associate with as well. So yeah. And that links in because you wrote here, have integrity, never sacrifice it. So definitely not. That's easier said than done for some. Of course, it is. So, how how do you ensure that you maintain that? Or if you're working with a client, say, who's looking for a role and integrity is super important to them, but they're in that bit of a crossroads as to well, should I go for that job? It doesn't quite fit my values or my purpose. How do you help them navigate that? Very good question. I think challenging um people is is really healthy. Um and and just asking I guess what could be perceived as as awkward or or difficult questions, yeah, which in turn helps individuals really think about what it is that they stand for and what they want. Um I I know that example there's one of my friends who's got his own recruitment organisation who won't deal with tobacco organisations because that's very much part of his his self-belief. Um and they say, Yeah, absolutely. But again, it it's knowing who you are and and what you stand for um is important, which is why that that soul searching exercise sometimes uh is so fundamentally important. Yeah, and I and I think you're right, and and and you mentioned this earlier, but practice gratitude, there is always so much to be grateful for, isn't there? Again, the gratitude attitude I call it. It's slightly scientifically proven that when you focus on the positive and the good things in your life, those endorsings, those chemicals in your brain are being released, which then in itself it makes you feel feel better and more self-assured and more self-confident. And and no matter how how dark things are in your life, there is always something to be grateful for. Yes. Um, even if it's grateful for sight or the the ability to meet with somebody, to talk to somebody, um, to listen, to feel. There's so many basic uh human interactions that we we can have that uh we've got to be thankful for. So uh I used to challenge my team once a month to we had a blank piece of paper in our Monday morning meetings, uh, and as a first person who could write 50 things to be grateful for. Oh my gosh. I don't know, but by sort of challenging and focusing on things that you've got to be grateful for, yeah, then it makes the things that you haven't got to be grateful for um less less significant and important, if that makes sense. Yeah. And I think also, as you said, it reframes your mindset, doesn't it, towards looking towards opportunity or the optimism as you mentioned. It's so important, isn't it? Because it's hard to get motivated if you're feeling like as you said earlier, right in that valley of despair, can't get out of it, you're swimming around in it. And you know, if that's if that's where you're living, that's super hard, isn't it? It is, and again, just sort of flipping back to to when I was in that place, it's the things that I I did as well. Um, I would put on very loud when I was at the gym, really positive music. Okay. Um really positive songs that just sort of lifting me up. A lot of songs from musicals, uh, actually. They're the best. They are, they're amazing, which again is it's about just giving that little bit of uh a kick um sometimes and affirmations. Um I would write down and I repeat affirmations every day, and I did find that that really helps me. What go-to energies, if you're gonna source it a refill, if you're gonna fill yourself back up again, um what would be your refueling rituals now? I I cannot get more motivated than taking my dogs um for a walk to the forest. I just find that one of the most calming um and re-ability to sort of reconnect with myself, yeah. Uh things that I can do, and I again feel very blessed to be able to do that with my fur babies. Yeah, that's so cool. Animals are such a you know a gift, aren't they? Really? Yeah. Totally, yeah. I mean many days just lying in bed, stroking the dogs, and uh just again being grateful for the opportunity to do that. And that sort of fits into where you're at now. So when you say, you know, you've said you've been set up you know with your organization, Agile Source, for a year now. Um how have you found 10? So the year anniversary. Come on, you can do that. Um, what have you found have been, I suppose, the biggest wins for you? Some of the biggest wins are the relationships. Okay. Some people I hadn't literally spoken to for 10, 15 years, when I put that open to work logo on, just coming out of the woodwork and asking how they can help. Let's meet for coffee, let's have a chat, who can I I connect you with? Um, and it just shows me the importance of always say being a person of your word so people do remember you and they want to help you when when when the chips are down. I love that. So, I mean, we could chat about this all day because I mean you're just ticking every point. Probably. Yes, we could. Purpose, definitely with you on that. Values, definitely with you on that. Live each day as if it was your last, definitely with you. Trust the process, it's always out there. I can hear, I'm going, oh my god, Laura would be putting tattoos on herself next, you know, rather than give them to me. So brilliant. So that would be quite funny. Um, I that would pay people would pay to watch that. But my word, money. I suppose my final question um to you, if that's all right, Zoe, is what one piece of advice would you give to your younger self, knowing what you now know, um, when it comes to reclaiming your motivation when the tank does feel empty? I think um the advice I give to my younger self is always keep that that fundamental self belief in yourself. Don't don't let the world or anybody else chip chip chip away at it. Um do what makes you happy, what brings you joy. I mean, life really is is short, but when when you do sort of feel yourself start to dip on on the motivation levels be cognizant of it um be kind to yourself because sometimes it's okay not to be okay um and that's absolutely fine but just think about what you can do to take yourself out of that valley um on onto the the next mountain um and yeah make sure you've got a really good supportive network around you yeah um try try and yeah learn new skills as well because i think that that's quite important in in terms of evolving uh as a as a human uh human being um yeah and just look look for the joy in yeah absolutely every single day look for the joy in the small things i mean i was walking the dogs this morning and there was a beautiful robin just sat on the fence and it's just like I mean that is just absolutely gorgeous yeah and it also reminds me of Christmas which is my favourite time of the year it's night too it's not long something like 52 sleeps or something I can't remember exactly that thank you go with that it might not be but let's go with that anyway it's not long as all we can do but Zoe how do people reach out to you firstly from um I suppose having been in the position of you but you have been made redundant you were blindsided by it and so some people like to connect because they go oh my god if you've gone through it and you are now doing what you're doing how do people find you yeah I'm I'm on LinkedIn and um I'm Zoe Lewis at AgileSorph on on LinkedIn so really happy to connect with anybody and again really happy to meet anybody who wants to meet for for a coffee or a glass of proseca and just and just chat and if I if I can be of help I've got a massive network if I could connect anybody um then be absolutely delighted to uh to do that. Yeah oh that's amazing and we make sure everything gets put out so people can um connect with you because I just think it's so important isn't it is that um you know the purpose you have the passion that you have it's coming through all of the time and if that's how you are it you will just infect people with that and give them the self-belief to go you can do it um and I think that's that's the beauty of having these conversations isn't it is to go yeah I've been where you've been and look and you can and but having that um extra support along the way I think is really important.

SPEAKER_03:

Totally I mean as I was absolutely blessed to be surrounded by love and and support which helped me rebuild my my self-belief levels brilliant um and and confidence so yeah be delighted to pay that forward in any way that I can oh well we'll make sure people can find you but I just want to say thank you for your time it's been an absolute pleasure um and I'm very grateful that you've taken the time out to chat with us it's something we've been wanting to do and we've you know Laura got me ready so I'm so happy she sorted me out well thank you so much it's been an absolute privilege no worries thanks Zoe take care so Laura what do you reckon do you know I I was reflecting as I was listening we stumbled into each other's lives um I mean I keep thinking she's a new friend but actually was 18 years ago that's a sign of getting it oh wow it is yeah that is yeah but we stumbled into each other's lives back in 2008 when I had a blip in my um career at that point so the company I was working for got unexpectedly put into administration so it was when the recession was starting to kick off in 2008 2009 and um yeah we kind of met each other uh because the owner company she was part of at the time and oh we just hit it off so actually it's quite poignant to listen to her now talking about yes phoenixing herself from the ashes and setting up on her own because actually that's where I was at 18 years ago so it's um it's brilliant to hear and of course dips she's given more for your tattoo collection trust is a must we do like that trust is a must yeah the attitude of gratitude yeah yeah which we've spoken about I love that yeah I mean my my all time favourite Zoe phrase is um I'm large and in charge which I always thought was fantastic but um yeah in terms of uh linking it to this episode focus I thought it was brilliant we were thinking you might be able to get a maybe a couple if you picked up on some of those like never have integrity never sacrifice it that's quite cool as well yeah oh yeah yeah she was amazing to speak to wasn't she yeah and I really hope if that's resonated with you or someone that you know in your life with whom has had a bit of a perceived setback um in you know in a redundancy or things haven't quite gone to plan you're never never too well to sort of start again and start afresh and I just thought that was a really empowering listen and uh one of my favourite phrases at the moment that I keep finding myself referring to is when one door closes a window opens and you're never quite sure it's not the end of the storyline sometimes those setbacks in fact it can be the beginning to something else so my show the secret would be this week Debs and it'd be great then to end on your call to action is if you've got a friend either a colleague or a friend or both who um you think this would be useful for get them to listen to this and uh to hear it from a recruiter as well I think is even more interesting. What's your call to action?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh there were so many actually when I was listening um to her but I think on reflection um my call to action is definitely connect back with who you truly are and and just set your tone towards that that's the way you're going to head because of that um so yeah I would definitely have my call to action is yeah take a moment to look at who am I you know who am I now and what can I bring and what are my values definitely and then just go forward with that. Trust the process.

SPEAKER_03:

Fantastic. Now Debs you mentioned trust I'm super looking forward to next week's um yes episode so the third in our four part focus looking at energy refuel and reset we've looked at how to keep endurance in the long run how to handle set back and to reclaim motivation maybe if the self-belief tank is a bit empty so thanks Zoe. And next week we're going to be looking at well what does it mean to create a psychologically safe space so from an energy point of view we feel like we belong. So I know it's such a hot topic really key for a lot of our collective clients at the moment that concept of psychological safety and belonging so um we're looking forward to that in the meantime have a tank filled glorious week Debs.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you very much Law you too and make sure you do and empty out that's what I would say do not empty.

SPEAKER_03:

Debs are large and in charge I've got an attitude of gratitude bring it on I love it bring it on yeah well I will see you next week Laura's week Debs love you all right love you hope you've enjoyed this podcast we'd love to hear from you email us at contact at secretsfromacoach.com or follow us on Insta or Facebook. If you're a Spotify listener give us the rating as it's easier for people to find us and if you want to know more visit our website www.secretsfromaccoach.com and sign up for our newsletter here to cheer you on and help you thrive in the ever changing world of work