Helping introverts find their Identity
I ’m a naturally driven person and, as an introvert, I think about things deeply, searching for reason and meaning. - Helen Froling
Helen Froling
Strengths-Based Career Counsellor & Personal Development Coach
Whilst still working in corporate healthcare management, our two daughters grew up and left home, leaving me with a bad case of empty nest syndrome.
What was I to do to fill the void?
I’m not one to sit idle for too long. It was time for me to think long and hard about where I was with my life, how I truly felt and what the next 20 years of my working life was going to look like. Deep down, I knew I could not stay on the same path I had been on for much longer.
If I was being honest with myself, over the previous few years, I had felt stuck and unchallenged in my work. But I also felt the overwhelming fear that if I changed my career, I would not be successful.
The imposter syndrome was creeping in. Sure, as an operational manager of six medical clinics, I had plenty of challenges to manage, but there was something missing! I was restless and in the back of my mind I was longing for a more purposeful career.
So, at the young age of 48, I started thinking about what I could do to reinvent myself. I had spent many years in some form of human resources management, including talent management, leadership, HR compliance, training and development, compensation and benefits and workplace safety. I had always enjoyed this role throughout my career, and I also loved coaching my team, helping them overcome their work and personal challenges.
This got me thinking. How could I take my HR and relationship-building skills and utilise what I know for a more purposeful career, helping others with their career and life journey, so they did not feel stuck like I did?
That’s when I decided to further my professional development and go back to university to study a Graduate Certificate as a Career Development Practitioner and Counsellor. I graduated in February 2019. Then I continued my education to become an Accredited Life Purpose and Transition Coach.
In the same year, there was a corporate restructure and change of general management in my company and they made my role with the company redundant. Deep down, I knew this was the kick in the butt I needed to stop playing safe, start living authentically and start the business I had been planning and dreaming of. During this time, I experienced the five stages of redundancy grief. I felt anger, ‘if only’, worry, denial and, finally, acceptance. Ironically, it was denial that was the pivot point for my business.
Shortly after my redundancy, I flew to Melbourne to visit my mother. As I was having my laptop bag checked, the nice customs officer asked what I did for work? Without giving it a second thought, I responded that I was an operational area manager and travelled for work.
Why had I said that? I suddenly realised that I had lost my professional identity. In effect, I was in DENIAL and felt confused about who I was and how I fitted into my own life!
My identity had become tied to my career!
On the flight, I began to think about how many other women have felt the same feelings after a redundancy, or who are feeling lost because they aren’t living their true identity, with meaning and authenticity in their career and personal life.
From that moment, I wanted every woman to have identity empowerment, to know who they truly are and what they are capable of. My business Identity Empowerment Coaching was born! I felt a surge of energy and drive. A light bulb went off in my head and I knew in my heart I had found my Y. Little did I know I was about to embark on a journey of my own self-discovery and empowerment. I only wish I had taken control of my feminine power sooner!
I’m a naturally driven person and, as an introvert, I think about things deeply, searching for reason and meaning. However, before I could start to help other women with their career and life struggles, I needed to go deep within myself and get my own thoughts and mindset in order.
Fortunately, I worked with a coach who guided and challenged me to work through these thoughts. Being coached over those months gave me the tools to learn more about who I was as a woman and what I wanted to become. I felt my power within shift. What I truly wanted to do in my life was to help other ambitious, yet introverted women like me who have dreams of transforming their life and career. Introverted women often struggle in unhappy careers for many years and feel obliged to stay in the same career for family stability or because they’re comfortable in an environment and they have a fear of trying something new.
After going through my own personal transformation, it has allowed me to impact the lives of others around me. It makes my heart sing when I know that I have helped to uplift a woman, to show her that if she is feeling unsettled, there are options, and she can become empowered to live and work as she chooses.
My feminessence is to empower as many women as I can, to help them soar high to reach their full potential in their careers and their lives. I’m a firm believer that women can achieve great things. We need to stop our self-doubt and stop putting everyone’s else’s needs and priorities in front of our own! Change is never a simple path to take.
But when you believe in yourself and learn how you want to feel and live, change will happen.
In my personal and professional opinion, I don’t believe that a woman needs to act like a man to be successful in business or career. Why would they need to? Women bring their own unique set of skills and strengths to a business, just as a man can. It is important for a business to have a diverse workforce of people who are different in thought and experiences, as this brings innovation and growth.
However, I also believe that some women feel intimidated working in an ego-powered, maledominated work environment. This gives them reason to have self-doubt, reduced self-confidence and maybe even imposter syndrome. Women, especially introverted women, can be more in tune with their emotional awareness, thus causing them to withdraw from wanting to stand out amongst their peers.
As a female business owner, I feel empowered to know that I created Identity Empowerment Coaching myself and I’m the one who makes the important decisions to ensure my business success. But most important to me is ensuring that my clients are nurtured and provided with exceptional customer service.
Running my own business also allows me to collaborate and network with other successful women in business. I love learning from women who have been on their own business journey and are as passionate about their business as I am.
It’s my privilege to get to work with some amazing women who are ready to take bold and inspired action in their career and life.
‘Working with Helen has given me the confidence to break away from my present job and move towards being ME, while allowing me the financial freedom to continue to move forward without selfrestrictions.’ S - Queensland
I don't believe that a woman needs to act like a man to be successful in business or career.