Retail therapy. Not what you think...I've been in a "career eddy" for the past few months and working at a core outdoor retail shop (exactly how I started in the outdoor industry 30 years ago). It's been a fantastic reset - chop wood, carry water - and journey for me personally and professionally to focus on what's exactly in front of me and leave attachment behind. Retail therapy isn't always shopping. Hear me out...

Over the past few months I've had quite a few interactions with customers asking how I got here and why I'm working retail. I explain #career #change #retail and I'm amazed to see them process it:

They open up about their work / life balance, what they thought they were doing with their career, at home, in the outdoors, with family, why they made decisions they did, what they hoped would come next, why they chose the path they are on, and what they saw as their current status.

In every one of these interactions, especially after being honest about how I got here, they paused. You could see the wheels turn and watch them evaluate their position and what they might change.

And yes I'm ready to get back into my career flow state. Experiencing my own version of retail therapy with customers is another part of what makes retail work. You can't get that online.