I have no idea where to start

I have no idea where to start

“Where do I start?”

“I have no idea where to start”

I often hear this from high-achieving leaders and professionals who want to change careers, find purposeful work, or their second or third career.

Is this you or maybe someone you know—a friend, relative, spouse, or coworker?
….maybe someone who just got laid off and is wondering what’s next.

Well, here is where you start.

This is where I start with most of my clients.
This is where I started on my path.
This is why my clients gain crystal clarity, confidence, and certainty about the direction of their careers.

You start with clarifying your own personalized COMPASS to your meaningful work.

We all have one.
A built-in compass to a career and life or purpose, meaning, and joy.
It’s already inside of you.

Do you know yours?

If not, this may be…

…why you are lost or stuck, wondering what’s next in your career or what is the right path to take.
…why you let external pressure, fears, and doubts take a hold of you as you choose your career path.
…why you end up in a career that is draining you and sucking the energy, joy, and meaning out of you.

The good news is that you came into the world with a built-in compass to a career and life of purpose, joy, and meaning. 

When you are clear on your inner compass…

…you know which career and life direction to pursue.
…you stop second-guessing yourself and your career choices.
…you find the clarity, confidence, and motivation to finally take the next step.
…you stop procrastinating on your dreams and envying others who go after theirs.
…you navigate skillfully your career and life.

It’s why I just created a new free report to help you get started on discovering–or re-discovering–your inner compass to your purposeful work. This is for you if you want to bring more meaning, joy, and purpose into your existing or next career.

In this free report, you will discover:

  • your built-in compass to guide you toward your purposeful work,
  • the 4 elements of your unique compass so that you can align your career and life with who you really are,
  • 8 simple tools you can use right away to start uncovering your inner compass.

>> Get Your Compass to Your Purposeful Work 

Enjoy the discovery and keep me posted on what you find!

How to live your purpose in 2023 🔥

How to live your purpose in 2023 🔥

Are you ready to live your purpose in 2023? 

I’m honored to be one of the 21 speakers featured in this Free 21-Day Online Retreat…

…and you are INVITED!

In this retreat, my colleagues and wise women, Aelah and Kristen are in conversation with 21 wisdom keepers who are living on purpose from their hearts. And sharing daily practices and inspiration throughout the retreat.

I am honored to be one of the 21 speakers. I’ll be sharing my wisdom as a part of this series: Activate Your Heart’s Purpose: Feeling loved as you bravely step into your purpose and prosperity.

If you’re ready to lead from your heart’s purpose, activate prosperity, and build community with other heart-centered humans, this will help you….

You’re invited to this totally free series.

>> REGISTER  HERE <<

You will be able to listen to these pre-recorded sessions, focus on your daily practices, and build conscious community from the comfort of your own space.

A few pieces of wisdom offerings include:

  • Speaking your authentic voice
  • Standing as a passion-powered, vision-guided, and action-oriented leader
  • How to live a committed life of authentic prosperity
  • Staying focused on your heart-centered purpose each day

A few voices of extraordinary wisdom keepers who share their gifts, include:
Lynne Twist, Mare Cromwell, Laura Rose, Lucca Petrucci, Emmi Mutale

JOIN US on this beautiful journey

We begin January 21!
Please invite your friends, sisters, mothers, grandmothers! Anyone who is ready to focus on living their heart’s purpose in 2023.

I look forward to “seeing” you there!

Isabelle

It is TIME

It is TIME

“anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.”

~ David Whyte

As we transition into a new year, It is time to let go of the things that don’t bring us alive and step into the ones that do.

What are you letting go of? What are you stepping into?

It’s TIME.

Have a blessed holiday season,

Isabelle

P.S. Here is the full poem.

Sweet Darkness
by David Whyte

“Listen
When your eyes are tired
the world is tired also.

When your vision has gone,
no part of the world can find you.

Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.

There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.

The dark will be your home
tonight.

The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.

You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.

Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn

anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive

is too small for you.”

Listen to the poem here.

the day I was laid off

the day I was laid off

Twelve years ago, I was laid off from Yahoo! 

It was one of the biggest crises of my life.

(I’m sharing this post I wrote in 2020 as it may help you or people you know who are facing a layoff.)

As I was losing my job, I was also losing my Visa to stay in the U.S.

I wanted to stay in California and change careers to pursue my passion.

It was time.

I kept hearing voices telling me otherwise.

An HR person told me that “I had to choose. I could not have both: staying in California and changing careers.”

My heart was screaming at me:  “no, I cannot choose. I’m not buying this. I think I can have both and I will.”

People were telling me: “What about you stay in the field of User Experience for now. It will be easier to stay in the US.”

I knew in my heart that this was not my path.

Despite the fears, despite the shoulds, despite the voices—internal and external—telling me otherwise…

…I chose the path of my heart and I forged ahead.

I went back to school to study coaching and psychology.

Two years later, I started my business to do what I love the most:  helping executives, managers, and high-achieving professionals stuck in a career they no longer love, discover and create meaningful work that reignites their passion and makes a difference. 

Ten years later, my business is thriving, I work with clients I love, I’m excited about my work… and I’m doing it from California!

If it was not for the layoff, I would not be where I am now.

Looking back, I see that the layoff was a blessing in disguise to help me on my path.

Are you facing a crisis that is trying to tell you something? Are you listening?

I’m where I am now because I listened and I did not choose the path of fear; I did not let the fears—inside and outside—stop me.

I followed my intuition and it led me to where I am now.

One step at a time. One day at a time. One victory over fear at a time.

This is what I tell my clients every time, to choose the path of intuition over the path of fear.

To do the work you truly love, you need to choose the path of your intuition.

Which path are you choosing, Isabelle?

  • the path of fear?
  • or the path of your true desire?

If you are ready to choose the latter but are scared and need help clarifying your next meaningful career, I’d love to help.

I have a few spots available for my 1:1 coaching programs:

  • Roadmap to the Career You Love & Land the Career You Love
  • Elevate Your Purposeful Work & Life
  • Enneagram Discovery & Transformation

I’m offering a special discount or a Bonus Enneagram Session if you sign up by December 20.

If you are interested, email me. I’ll follow up with a few questions to make sure this is a good fit. If so, we will set up a time to chat.

If you love your work but know people (spouse, friends, relatives, coworkers) who don’t, please share this email with them.

Isabelle

Erik started where you are now.

“Working with Isabelle has quite literally been life-changing. After a 23-year career in Project/Product Management, I was burnt out and didn’t know what to do next. I wanted to find a new career direction but didn’t have the first clue how to do so. During my first consultation call with Isabelle, she just reached me on a deep personal level I was not expecting.

Over a 4-month period, I completed a group course with Isabelle that allowed me to discover my ‘authentic self’ and truly discover what work I’m passionate about and what values drive me. Long story short, Isabelle’s course helped me see bad behaviors I had been perpetuating for years, and learn to appreciate the things that motivate/drive me. With Isabelle’s guidance and wisdom, I am now on the path to the career of my dreams that I’m excited to have for the next 25 years.

To say Isabelle’s work is life-changing is an understatement!”
~ Erik Z., Oakland, California.

Want to become a success story like Erik? Email me here and we’ll connect.

Photo credit: In Her Image Photography

I just did it… + 4 key learnings for you

I just did it… + 4 key learnings for you

I just DID it! 

5 min before the deadline…

I submitted a proposal to speak at the 2023 International Enneagram Association Global Conference.

Why I’m sharing this with you? 

Well, there are some learnings I want to share with you. 

The deadline to submit was tonight, November 30, at 9 pm Pacific Time.

I had known about it for a month and was planning to apply. I ended up needing some R&R time to rest in mid-November. My personal life took the forefront. The idea of submitting a proposal felt like it was coming from “should” and “ego” rather than authentic inspiration, so I decided not to do it.

Then, yesterday, I woke up and felt a sudden urge to submit a proposal. I received a rush of ideas about my talk, the topic, and even the title. For the next twenty minutes, I jotted down all of it on a piece of paper. It all came to me, so clearly. I felt a level of clarity and confidence about the talk that I had not felt before.

Suddenly, I knew I had to do it. Not from a place of “should” but from intuition and inner knowing. They have a different flavor. Are you able to tell the difference?

Despite the short notice, I listened to the call and gathered the information I needed for the submission process. I knew it was tight but the inner knowing I had to do it was stronger than the time constraints. So, I kept going.

Everything I needed came easily. The three people I contacted for references said yes; they were honored to play that role. I got some fantastic suggestions from my colleagues to improve the title. Finishing the proposal on time was a race against the clock but I did it! And I feel good about it. I followed my intuition and inspiration and took the step I was called to take. Now, it’s out of my hands and I trust the process, whatever the outcome will be.

Here are my learnings for you:

1. Notice the difference between “shoulds”/”have to” and intuition/inspiration.
2. Listen to the latter.
3. Act on it, even if your rational mind may give you all kinds of excuses or reasons why it’s not a good idea (e.g., It’s too late, it’s too short notice, I won’t make it, people will say no, my idea is not good enough, etc)
4. Trust and let go.

How will you apply these this week? 

Comment below and tell me. I want to hear!