
I’m sat here today at the start of my final week in my big corporate job at Mattel UK, having worked in big corporate businesses for the last 11/12 years- and I’m feeling all the feels!!
Now, I’m not really one to reflect, choosing instead to live firmly in the present moment, but in the process of writing my leaving email to my colleagues and being a very visual person I decided to dig back through all of my old ‘Mattel’ photos over the last 6 years.
Looking back over these photos I felt quite a few things…
· Happiness
· The sensation of learning and growing
· Passion
· Achievement
· Determination to do well
· The presence & support of a team
· And in the last few years unfortunately burn out and lots of stress
But above anything else I felt (and feel) such an extreme amount of PRIDE. I am so proud of everything I worked for at Mattel. Starting as a Brand Manager on the Disney Portfolio managing Toy Story 4 toys during the theatrical launch and finishing as the Marketing Manager leading the Barbie brand for the UK- including working with Warner on all the fanfare last year with the Barbie Movie.
I’ve had some of the most incredible experiences, that were the result of some serious hard work. I don’t really believe in luck. I believe in working hard and asking for what you want. I believe that all my progress and the ‘faith’ that senior team members have put in me was deserved due to the time I spent developing my own talent. Now you might read this and think ‘wow, she’s a bit full of herself’, but I spent so long with imposter syndrome that it’s important to acknowledge that everything I worked for I deserved. And as women this message is incredibly important- we DO NOT need to play ourselves down to make others feel more comfortable – big yourself up GURL!!
Anyway, back to my reflections.
When I look back over the pictures I see someone so motivated and determined to do well and be the best version of themselves. Someone who survived through the COVID days of staying home everyday despite being an extroverted introvert, someone who helped deliver some of the most amazing Barbie role model programmes over the last 4 years, someone who developed other talent and someone who got to work on true projects of passion with some incredible team mates.
But as I move through my life- I know that corporate no longer serves me in its current form. Because I also see someone who got to the edge of burnout time and time again and realised that my health & wellness is more important than progressing through the corporate ladder.
My idea of ‘success’ changed (more on this in a blog to come).
So now, I am excited to chase my joy and create something just for me that aligns to my personal values of health/wellbeing, connection, self-growth, fun and empowerment. I am incredibly passionate about helping people discover what health & wellness looks like for them. I am still the same determined and motivated woman, but I just have a different target.
You!
So really this is just the beginning. As I say goodbye to my corporate career (for now), I say hello to my health & wellness era. And I’m here for it!!