I was 37 years old, married mom of 2 children under 6, living in a beautiful 4-bedroom craftsman on a cul-de-sac in the suburbs. I had worked at Microsoft for a little more than 5 years, and had worked in the technology for more than 10 years. And then one day, just a regular Monday day in August 2015, I woke up and I just could not go to work.
This was pretty mystifying to me at the time. As someone whose identity was wrapped up in achievement, I was obsessed with following the rules of the system. And my definition of a good person did not include skipping work. At the same time, the engineer in me I tried desperately to apply my problem solving skills to this problem.
The only thing I could think to do was to follow my intuition – if I wasn’t going to go to work, then I’d have to just do whatever felt like the next best thing to do. So, I showered and got dressed, left the house with appearance of heading to work; but I went to the bookstore instead. Heading to the bookstore that day was a huge step in several ways. First, it was the first time in I don’t know how long that I had listened to myself, and done just exactly what I wanted to do. Second, it set in motion a series of events that lead me here. At the bookstore, I found the first breadcrumb that would lead me to discover my own path, rather than continue following the path of conventional wisdom.
At that bookstore, I found a book that lead m to a writing class. That writing class lead me to the clarity needed to end my marriage. Ending my marriage gave me the mental space to discover that I wanted to move to Seattle. Moving to Seattle gave me exposure to people who were living their lives in all sorts of different ways. With a wider view of possibilities, I quit my software job and started my own business. With a new understanding of what was possible, I started a life coaching program. And here I am starting my coaching practice, working with my first wave of clients that will help me to understand where I can most effectively be of service to others.
I hope to be of service to others who have traveled similar journeys. Perhaps a woman in technology who has just had that morning where she woke up sensing that something was wrong – she could use a guide to help her navigate these thoughts. Perhaps a mother who is recently divorced – she could use assistance in finding a new normal, especially when it comes to parenting. Perhaps an adult child of an alcoholic or addict – they could use an empathetic advisor to help them focus on their own recovery.
I want to be of service to people in their growth and awakening. I truly believe that the path to world peace lies in each individual learning to follow their own path, and contribute their own unique genius to heal this planet.
Anne Lou Miller Coaching 