Brought to you by Charles Sturt University.
I missed the University boat the first time it came around. It feels everyone in the world had the Uni experiences {friends, parties, good times} and I got busy working and missed out. It was like I watched that boat sail off into the sunset, and I was on the shore, working as a Nanny, waving that boat away.
Tears.
To be honest though, I don’t have any real regrets. I’m sure the parties were epic, but perhaps I would have studied the wrong thing, because back then I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I was just navigating life, and figuring how to adult. I wasn’t quite ready, I don’t think.
The funny thing was, I flicked the careers book in high school and decided I’d do a Bachelor of Media and Communications. I got in and was set to study, but fell ill and had to defer… I just never went back. Maybe I would have ended up where I am anyhow.
But maybe, as I said above, I wasn’t ready… that’s why things happened as they did?
My thirties have been different though. I feel like they’ve been my best decade yet {you know out of the whole THREE of them}. I love myself more than I ever have, I love being a mum, I love being married to my husband, and I know who I am more than ever. I have direction, I know what works for me, I have found myself {I guess you could say!}. Oprah would be proud.
But I also found myself wanting more. I was ready for more. I was ready to learn and do and grow and stretch. Do you know that feeling?
But what? I don’t know if it’s a rite of passage as a mum, or something that happens in your thirties, but I found other people doing the same thing; doing what they want. Chasing their dreams. Making stuff happen.
For the past year or so, I’ve been learning. I’ve been studying to be a Life Coach. Of course, it’s a bit of a juggle with kids and work and life and putting dinner on the table, sometimes. But it’s a juggle worth doing. I love that I’m learning, and activating that part of my brain. It feels good. Now I’m like, ‘What else can I do!?’
Charles Sturt University knows the struggle is real. As a mum we want to be everything for our families, but also we want to fulfill our own needs too. CSU {Charles Sturt University} has created courses that you can learn at your own pace, flexible study options, an ability to choose subjects when it suits you, support services {online and on campus} and an easy-to-pay schedule {study now, pay later}.
Loving my 30s also, so great you’re a life coach, a perfect profession for you I believe! xx
Thanks Em. 🙂
I did a BA (Hons) in Applied Social Sciences and Women’s Studies. It was a fab course, covering lots of subjects and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. It has left me feeling like I’m probably capable of anything. I did an MA in Social Research for my 4 year career in social research and that’s probably not efficient but it did enable me to work on the census (far more exciting than it should have been), and I’m good at researching what I’ll do next. Win! I’m sure whatever you set your mind to will be a fascinating journey. Bon voyage!
I had what you had in your thirties in my forties. I love it! I’m training to be a counsellor. It’s taking me a while but I’m trying to embrace the journey of learning, and not just the destination! I think you’re going to make an uber ace life coach. So proud of you!
Tell me about teh Life Coaching!!! This is what I WANT to do. there is a fear inside me stopping me and I just cant break through it.
I spend hours {HOURS} pondering over this, I don’t understand how I can have this deep deep desire to do something and have no idea what it is I want to do. I have the same issue with blogging, I want to do it, I write blog posts in my head EVERY DAY {and night} but the fear of actually doing it cripple me. I’m not sure if its the fear of doing it or if it is the fear of failure. I know I already have too much on my plate, how would I fit something else in. I’m on the good side of 40, I need to take a leap of faith.
I’m 32 and just finished a 2 year course in graphic design (as in the final exhibition is currently on display) and I love it. I’m not sure if that was what you originally had planned to do or if it was more advertising. So now I’m hoping to be a mixture of graphic designer and surface pattern designer. If anyone would like to see my work, I am currently in the process of uploading work to mandyleeson.myportfolio.com I love creating patterns so I want to have some on fabric or wallpaper or other products.
Ugh I’m 45 and not sure want I want to be when I grow up. I’ve been toying with the idea of life coaching too, but I’m not sure if I can keep the boundaries needed to keep well. I’m also nervous about committing to study as I wasn’t a fan of school.
There’s tools to protect your boundaries. 🙂 I think the world is your oyster. It doesn’t have to be solely life coaching, it could be style coaching or something. I just think we get to an age {30s and beyond} when we realise we could probably optimise our style, get a capsule wardobe and live life beautifully.
It feels as if you’ve got a media Comms background!! Funny how things work out. I did part of my study via CSU! I lived in Darwin at the time and then continued off campus in Melb. I would highly recommend them to all : )
You’re made to be a life coach. In the short time I spent with you, I felt so inspired. You have an effortless way of making a person feel comfortable and to grab their passion and dream and run with it : ) On more than one occasion, something you’ve said in general, or to me, has helped with a leap of faith!
xo
I studied some nutrition which I enjoyed, but then growing our home business to include farmers markets as well as all involved in running a 17 acre fruit property and my hubby and I also working, there’s no time for anything else….. And anyway, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up xxx Congrats Chantelle ❤️
You will be a fabulous life coach! When can I book in?! 🙂 x
At 36 I still haven’t really worked out what I want to be when I grow up…well I kind of have but like so many I’m a little nervous about taking that BIG leap…in my heart of hearts I would love to be an Interior Designer! However life has kind of gotten in the way…I’m a Mum of two of the spunkiest boys you’ll ever meet 🙂 with a job (I’ve made it my career) that I truly do love however I just know that this isn’t my forever thing.
In my first crack at a career I completed a Bachelor of Liberal Studies majoring in HR, Japanese and Psychology. I worked in HR for 7 years and then had my baby and did a massive shift into the unknown and publishing a digital magazine. I wouldn’t change a thing because it has all led me to where I am today. But I too feel the pull of coaching. Not sure what aspect, probably combining my experiences in HR with moving onto running my own business as a mum. But for now I’m happy so we’ll see what happens when I do grow up!
..congratulations Chantelle….. you will be an awesome LifeCoach….
I have done Tafe courses in Needle craft, ticket writing and various art and crafts…..over the last 40 years…. I just love to play and create things… and I’m too lazy and contented to go and get a career….. Did I say lazy? … well I’m posting on your blog in my pj’s and crocheting a scarf.while sitting in front of the heater….(it’s freezing in Sydney today) ..
I did go out to work on and off after the children were all at school…. just local tea lady and factorywork…. I was a fantastic tea lady…
I’m 73 and for the last 8 years have been my Mother’s carer… so I do have a career of sorts.. how about that.. xxxxx … she is so independant and sleeps late that I have plenty of free time…. I’m truly blessed..
Have a great day… hugs… Barb xxxx
Congrats on becoming a life coach….you will be amazing.
I always want to study Bachelor of Education…..but my marks where never high enough to get in to it…..so I went with child care instead.
I am aiming in the next 2 years to go and study my certificate 3 in education support so I can work as a teachers aide….which is close enough to what I always want to do.
If only I could fine a course that did not cost me thousand I would be good.
Congrats again.
That’s so awesome, well done! I always wanted to be a writer when I was at school but I didn’t have the confidence to pursue it until much later. But I’m glad because I wouldn’t have had anything interesting to write about back then anyway. I’m a firm believer in living a little before you decide. My eldest daughter is starting high school next year, and I’ll be encouraging her to study what she loves, and letting it all unfold from there. (She’ll probably go all Alex P Keaton on me and become a high-powered corporate lawyer at the age of 21!)
Congratulations Chantelle, that is fantastic and I know you will be amazing. You really will. I’m changing gears at the moment too and setting up my own little business (with the help of a coach!)- I did do the whole uni, corporate career thing first but I sort of just fell into everything without much thought. It gave me some great adventures and experience but now I want something different. I’m sure there will be several other iterations of me as we are always evolving aren’t we?
Great work Chantelle! Coaching is really rewarding. I took over 10 years and three university degrees to become a coaching and positive psychologist (something that didn’t even exist during the first two degrees). The nature of my work continues to change.
I think we should be teaching kids to get an education in anything and to keep their hearts and minds open to all opportunities as they arise. The days of a job or career for life are long gone. x
Omg Chantelle, I’m just finishing my last assessment of my coaching course and will be a certified Lifestyle and Wellbeing Coach by August! How exciting! We need to chat about future projects xx
Well done lady!
Well done! As I type this I have a scrap piece of paper with all the details on Beautiful You floating around on my desk beside me. I would love to do the October intake but the cashflow situation doesn’t really allow for it so it is on my radar for 2017. It all started from those coaching sessions that I had. It was really great and I would love to be able to help people get on their path myself. Soon. Well done you!
I got the old Media/Comms degree straight out of school. And yes I’ve had some well paying and interesting jobs out of it, but it was never a passion for me. I recently went back to study photography, something I wish I’d done from the get go & it’s the best thing I ever did!
I will be 46 this year and just finished earning my Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. At 40 I decided that if I was ever going to go to college then I had to do it NOW. I enrolled in the community college to get a 2-year degree in sciences so that I could get my bachelor’s in organic farming. I knew that in our area I needed to have some skills in Spanish so I also enrolled in language classes. By the time I got to the 4-year college I had moved into Spanish and linguistics as my emphasis. Then I had to decide what to do with that major so I went to another university and earned my Masters. It’s been a long 6 years and I owe a lot(!!!) of money but I have my degree. Right now I am teaching preschool but I want to teach adults in community ed and adult basic education.
As an adult going to school I had to work doubly hard I think. I still had all my home and life responsibilities and even though I cut way back on volunteer work there were some things that I just couldn’t let down. My kids had to step up and pick up some of the cooking and cleaning responsibilities and my husband had to let some expectations go (clean underwear might not be in your drawer- you may have to go find it in a laundry basket). But it was worth it.