“If you tie your self worth to your career, the successes and failures you experience will directly affect your self-worth.”

Anne Wilson (professor of psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University)

When I considered a career transition out of the HR profession, I initially feared that once I was no longer in a role as an HR Business Partner as I had been for so many years, that I would be lost without direction and not know who I was anymore.

This idea, that my identity was directly tied to my job in HR, made me feel like if I were to leave my role or start over and make a change, that I would no longer be valued by myself or anyone else. 

A pivotal moment for me…

was when I realized that I had developed the critical skills and capabilities to be a successful HR professional, but that was not my identity.

Whether or not I was employed with the title of HR Business Partner, I was still the same person that had all of the experiences that had led to the growth and development of my skills.

I would continue to build meaningful connections with people by leading with curiosity and empathy. Active listening and clear communication would always be strategies I would utilize to solve problems in whatever role I found myself in.

This awareness of who I am as a person and the experiences that I have had that have gotten me to this point in my career help me see how I contribute and add value to people and organizations in other capacities.

In this way, I continue to work toward changing my pattern of thinking.

Instead of deriving my self worth from my current career/title/role, I find it more helpful to focus on my achievements, experiences, and skills developed that have brought me this far.

These are the critical parts of me that I will never leave behind.

~ Kristin