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From Teaching to Portfolio Career Success Story > From: Job To: Portfolio career From Teaching to Portfolio Career “The pressure was crushing me.” * From Teaching to Portfolio Career David Preston had been in the same profession for most of his working life, but a stressful new role left him no choice but to quit without a back-up plan. Here, he shares how taking time to focus on his priorities helped him uncover an inspiring purpose and a fulfilling portfolio career. What work were you doing previously? I'd been a geography teacher for 12 years. What are you doing now? I'm still teaching, but in different ways. I'm working with a specialist tour company, helping them run outdoor-based school trips overseas. I'm doing some online geography tutoring and educational writing, and I'm also a non-teaching head of year in a secondary school. Why did you change? I'd moved to a new school to take up a Head of Department role, which was something I'd always wanted to do. The school was local, and I already knew some of the people who worked there, so on paper it seemed like a great career move. But unfortunately, it didn't work out as I'd planned. The school and my colleagues were very organised and systems-focused, but I've always been something of a creative improviser. I felt like a square peg in a round hole, and I could see that the role wasn't really suited to my skills. This feeling was compounded about three months into the role, when I had to take a Myers-Briggs personality test as part of my training. The other department heads all came out as linear and methodical types, while I stood on my own as an ENFP â€" someone who enjoys making it up as they go along. I just thought, “I'm doomed”. Meanwhile the workload, as I tried to get to grips with new systems and procedures, was overwhelming. I felt like I was constantly chasing my tail. Soon I was working up to 80 hours a week. I hardly saw my family, and the pressure was crushing me. I was starting to give my life completely over to my job. When was the moment you decided to make the change? For me, teaching should be about relationships and creativity, but I had no time or scope for that any more. Instead, I felt like I was constantly spinning plates. The stress took its toll on my mental health, so much so that I decided to hand in my notice without any back-up plan or new job to go to. At the time I was the sole breadwinner in our house, and we had three children under the age of ten. Luckily, my wife was incredibly supportive. How did you choose your new career? At first, I had no intention of stepping into a classroom again. I thought “I'm done with this”. I felt I'd exhausted other career options in teaching, such as working internationally. I looked at a job in Hong Kong, but as I mulled it over with my wife, we realised that trading our lives in for the same classroom pressures didn't make sense. I really enjoy being outdoors. I'm a mountain bike instructor, which is a qualification I'd had for a few years, so I had an early vision of opening a bike shop somewhere. However, when I took some time to focus on my motivation and priorities, I felt strongly drawn towards helping troubled young people, listening to them and working with them to help find solutions to their difficulties. I thought about combining that with teaching outdoor skills. From there, I found a non-teaching head of year role in a secondary school. I also reached out to a tour company that runs outdoor-based school trips in Iceland. They offered me some contract work, and I'm doing some tutoring and writing to supplement my income. Additionally, I've started a part-time master's degree in psychology, and I intend to follow that up with an educational psychology doctorate. It's all about building a foundation for my vision, which is to combine psychology with my teaching experience and outdoors therapy, and create a niche for myself. Are you happy with the change? Yes. I'm still on my career change journey, but there's a definite trajectory, with a clear goal at the end. I'm still working long hours, but I'm enjoying what I do a lot more, even when I've only had six hours' sleep! I've also implemented some simple well-being rules, such as not checking emails once I've left work for the day. I've learned more in my non-teaching head of year role over the past few months than I would have done over years in my previous school. I've dealt with the police and social services, and I've had to physically restrain students. My role is to step in and become part of the solution, which hasn't always been easy, but it's also very rewarding. These days my mind is much freer, and I'm always thinking “I wonder if…?” about the future, such as the possibility of working with children who have been affected by international conflict or disaster. I've got so many ideas â€" I'm always scheming something, and now I feel like I have the skills and confidence needed to make new ideas possible. What don't you miss? I'm still in teaching, but I don't miss the sense of crushing obligation I used to feel. I realise now that my job should serve me, not the other way around. If it all gets too much, then there are always other jobs. How did you go about making the shift? Just before I left my old job, I did a Google search and discovered Careershifters. I read some inspiring stories on the website, and I sat down with my wife to discuss joining the Career Change Launch Pad programme. I knew I needed some help thinking 'out of the box'. I wanted to meet people who could help me open my mind and broaden my horizons. It was the conversations I had during the programme that really helped me decide on what I wanted for my shift. I learned that gleaning as much information as you can from others is pivotal. I chatted with a lot of people in the outdoors industry, and they helped me realise that I couldn't focus my career completely on that, as I'd only ever be one injury away from not working. Also, I didn't know that a non-teaching head of year role even existed, until I spoke to someone who was doing that role herself. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? With no money coming in, the stakes were incredibly high. But my wife and I were fortunate in that we did have an initial 'safety net' of savings. I really needed some additional income while I planned my shift, so I also did some work helping a friend, who is a tree surgeon. These days I'm earning around a third of my previous salary as a Head of Department, which is one of the reasons why I keep on exploring options to supplement our income! What was the most difficult thing about changing? Not knowing where I was going to end up. I'm quite impatient, and I wanted to see everything come together quickly. It could sometimes feel over-indulgent, having conversations and exploring options but with nothing really moving, and I was always mindful of the pressure of not having a job. But you just have to remain open to possibilities, and stay patient. What help did you get? My wife has always been incredibly supportive. She's a lot more focused and rational than I am, so looking back, the fact that she agreed so readily to me leaving my job without a plan shows how bad the situation had become. What have you learnt in the process? Taking some time to focus on your priorities is important. When I did this, I realised that I've always felt a strong responsibility to use my skills, qualifications and personality towards a purpose. My 'aha!' moment came when I realised how much I wanted to work with troubled young people, and be their champion. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Changing career is a journey rather than a quick fix, and it will take some time to evolve. Sometimes you just have to be patient, and play the long game. My shift still has a few more years to go, but it's a progressive and positive change. It's all about applying an open ethos and making the most of every opportunity. David took part in our Career Change Launch Pad. If you're ready to join a group of bright, motivated career changers on a structured programme to help you find more fulfilling work, you can find out more here. To find out more about David's work, visit www.dpgeog.com. What lessons could you take from David's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below. From Teaching to Portfolio Career Success Story > From: Job To: Portfolio career From Teaching to Portfolio Career “I was crying every day before going to work.” * From Teaching to Portfolio Career Frustrated by the limitations of her role, Sarit Gafan decided to take some time out to explore her options. Here's how she harnessed the power of volunteering for her shift, and created the contacts that ultimately led to an exciting new opportunity. What work were you doing previously? I was a support teacher for children and parents with English as a second language in a primary school. What are you doing now? Until recently Iworked part-time for a charity called Light Up A Life. It was a winter volunteering project that supports charities who may lose their regular volunteers at Christmas. The other main purposes were to spread warmth and love to those who may not receive it during the festive period, as well as to pay forward gratitude for all our basic needs being met. Last year I was Project Manager, responsible for recruiting 800 volunteers for approximately 30 charities during the Christmas period. Then II chose to take a part-time position as Partnerships Manager, whileworking on my mental-well-being business while also studying for a degree part-time. I now am focusing on my own business -I have started offering wellbeing workshops and amseeking wellbeing writing workto help sustain me while I build up my business. Why did you change? I worked in education for ten years, and loved working with the kids, as well as some amazing staff, but eventually I felt I could serve them better outside the classroom, without the limitations of the curriculum. I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated that the children were having to learn about things like the Plague, when some of them struggled to write simple sentences. Others found it so hard to learn due to the way they were being taught, and others had low self-esteem and would disengage or 'play up'. I did my best to incorporate a positive approach and confidence-building into my work but it wasn't enough; my soul said it was time to move on. So, I took a leap of faith and took eight months out to self-care, heal, replenish my energy and decide on my new goals. When was the moment you decided to make the change? The clue came when I realised that I was crying every day before going to work. I was just starting to get into meditation, so I was now connecting with myself at a deeper level. I started to ask myself what I wanted and needed. The answer was clear â€" it was time to move on. Are you happy with the change? 100%! I've gained so much learning and experience from my charity job, and I feel privileged to have had an impact on the charity itself too. When I ran my sandwich-making club for the homeless, I used tostrive to give people a more conscious volunteering experience, by bringing gratitude practice into the events, and I have helped grow this element in my charity job so that there is more education around the volunteering opportunities. I will admit it has been a rough ride at times, but there's no growth without pain! What do you miss and what don't you miss? I really miss working with kids â€" watching as the little light bulbs go on in their heads and the smiles on their faces when they 'get' something they'd been struggling with. Then again, I've had some great experiences watching adult light bulbs go on too. I miss the certainty of a monthly salary, but I also now appreciate the fact that my income is no longer limited.It's possible for me to earn more than I did before. When I think about it, within the uncertainty I have now is a whole lot of open space waiting for things to grow and blossom into it. How did you go about making the shift? I'd been running Club Gratitude (a voluntary group that made 'Packages of Hope' for the homelessâ€"the sandwich-making club I referred to earlier) for eight years. Without me realising it, that had laid the foundation for my future path very clearly â€" the skills, experience, community and contacts I'd built up helped pave the way. The charity job with Light Up A Life came at exactly the right time. They already knew about me and my ethos from working with me on Club Gratitude. The mental well-being business was something I'd dreamed about for a while, I just didn't know what shape it would take. Then, I had the privilege of working as Community Co-ordinator at the Museum of Happiness over the summer, which helped me crystallise my ideas and gave me some amazing teaching experience (co-teaching a Stress Management Self-kindness workshop being a highlight). It also made me realise that the workshops I want to run are really needed, especially in London, where the pace of life is fast and pressure is high. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? Some people in my life were concerned about the fact that I wasn't working, so dealing with their fear was quite tough, especially as fear can be contagious! But once I became confident in what I was doing, they became confident in me and were able to support me. Working on my own too much has been challenging â€" it's isolating and can allow my inner critic plenty of space to over-analyse. I've discovered that the best way forward for me is to start using co-working spaces. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? Aside from making some basic lifestyle adjustments, I was incredibly fortunate to have had savings to fall back on. For that I thank my dear late grandparents â€" I am sure they supported my decision. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Fear â€" the biggest barriers were in my own mind! Sticking to my guns when people close to me were worried about me was tough. And realising that my self-worth was caught up in external factors, like my teaching and how much money I was earning, was a huge challenge. Fortunately, I am much more self-aware now, so I was able to catch myself thinking things like “You're not bringing in any money, you're useless!” and “What are you doing with your life? You're not teaching anyone anything!”. Mindfulness really helped with these thoughts. What help did you get? I immersed myself in eight months of healing practices which all helped me â€" these included Kundalini yoga, counselling, and meditation classes. I also had support from family and friends, and from the Museum of Happiness community. What resources would you recommend to others? The Why Are You Here Cafe: a new way of finding meaning in your life and work,a book by John P. Strelecky. Any courses or classes run by the Museum of Happiness (especially the Stress Management Self-kindness one!). The Mindful Self-Compassion course run by Kind Mind Academy. Meditation classes run by Illa and Jeetu Khagram. What have you learnt in the process? I've learnt that if I take a leap of faith, the universe will support me. If I'm confident in what I'm doing, my loved ones will support me even if they're worried for me. And I've learnt how powerful it can be be to undertake voluntary work â€" it can really help you build skills and acquire invaluable experience. What do you wish you'd done differently? I wish I'd had more self-compassion at the start of my leap, because I would have allowed things to flow more and enjoyed the ride. I experienced a lot of fear-based resistance in my mind, so it was stressful sometimes. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Meditate â€" take time to check in with yourself. Be kind to yourself â€" if something doesn't feel right, find out why and change it. Try out different paths by volunteering or running your own projects â€" it's a safe way to test out what you enjoy doing without having to leave your job. This was how I did it â€" I loved it so much I realised I wanted to do it full-time. Once you've figured out a direction that feels right, strive to drop down to part-time and start to phase out your work â€" not all employers can or will be able to accommodate this but most would probably rather have you part-time than not at all. Be patient, it takes time to make a big change so celebrate the small steps. Get support â€" network with positive people. If you're struggling with a negative mindset, take multifaceted action, such as putting positive post-its up everywhere so your subconscious keeps receiving those messages (to counteract the negative ones). Thank you to Charity Job for this story. To find out more about shifting into charity work, visit www.charityjob.co.uk. To find out more about Sarit's work, visitwww.poweroflifelearning.com. What lessons could you take from Sarit's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below. From Teaching to Portfolio Career Success Story > From: Job To: Portfolio career From Teaching to Portfolio Career “I couldn't take the stress and misalignment anymore.” * From Teaching to Portfolio Career Feeling bitter and hopeless, Jackie Boylhart sought help to plan a gradual shift into work that felt like a better fit. Here, she shares why slow and steady wins the race, and how her mindset's been key to the process. What work were you doing previously? I was a maths teacher. What are you doing now? I'm now a marketing consultant and copywriter (working remotely). I'm also the founder and owner of Katy Fulshear Piano Studio, providing in-person and virtual, one-on-one, private piano lessons. How did you feel in your work before you decided to make the change? I felt trapped. I was becoming bitter in education and starting to lose hope for the sector. I enjoyed teaching, but I felt like my strengths could be better used in an environment where I could thrive personally. It was time to get out because I was burnt out. Why did you change? I couldn't take the stress and misalignment anymore. It was more of a feeling than a rational decision. When was the moment you decided to make the change? About three years ago, my mind shifted towards being proactive, instead of reactive, regarding my career. Prior to that, I'd just been moving along the career ‘escalator’. I continued on the ladder by joining Teach For America. I then worked for a corporate-style school as Dean of Instruction. There were many signs that it was time to leave. I left and went back to the classroom as a transition towards my longer-term exit strategy. Some people can just cut everything off, go bare minimum and leave while living off an apartment floor and eating ramen. Not me. So I knew I had to transition into a position (back to teaching in the classroom) where I had the time to figure out what I needed to do, without the responsibility of leadership. I gave myself a deadline of two years and left. How did you choose your new career? I spent time working with a career coach and identifying my strengths, skills and ideal work environment. I worked on developing my mindset and pursuing things that lit my soul on fire. After that, my new career was a process of elimination rather than a selection, as such. Are you happy with the change? Yes. I've been working as a marketer for the past year or so, but I know there is one more transition I need to make in my career which I'm working on laying the foundation for behind the scenes. How did you go about making the shift? A lot of the career shift was about me working on myself, internally. I believe the state of your mind and inner self is reflected in many ways in your outer self. A large part of my shift and transition was understanding I needed help, then seeking and actively participating in that help. I took online courses (skills and mindsets), worked with a career coach, a life coach and asked lots of questions, not being afraid to fail forward. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? I don't think anything went badly, per se, but it did get pretty embarrassing trying something and then not sticking with it. To the outside world, I appeared ‘flaky', 'inconsistent' and 'undecided’ while on the inside I felt confident that I was eliminating what didn't work, in order to land on what did. It definitely wasn't always easy. There were many times I started applications to work at a school again, simply because it was familiar and comfortable. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? I'm not someone who is all-or-nothing; I like doing things gradually. I'm a planner. I like to plan for as little pain as possible, even if I know this is maybe not the most efficient way of getting to my goal. The cut in salary (when left my Dean position to go back into the classroom) was a huge adjustment for me. However, even though my salary was 'cut' I realised I was making more money per unit of time (so was able to work less hours). So, I committed to making that extra time worthwhile. It started with me investing time in learning, taking courses and trying new thing. I also used some of it to make up the salary difference by teaching piano lessons and tutoring. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Fear of the unknown. I didn't know if my plans were going to work. I had no idea If I was making a mistake, or if I should've just stayed where I was. What help did you get? I worked with a variety of coaches â€" a career coach, a life coach, a business mindset coach â€" and a mentor. My husband, friends, and social media contacts were also hugely supportive. What resources would you recommend to others? If you are trying to get clear on a direction, I highly recommend Dustin Peterson's book, Reset. What have you learnt in the process? To take it one day at a time and to live entirely in the present moment. It's wise to have plans, but I have to be adaptable too. I've learnt to honour my past, without being held captive by it. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Don't be afraid to get help. Sometimes it feels like you have to do everything on your own, or that you should just 'know' what to do. I wouldn't be where I am today without the people I sought out to help and guide me. What lessons could you take from Jackie's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.