I’m lucky to have a few amazing women in my life that I’m proud to call mentors. These women have backed me up during the highs and lows of my career and today, one of my closest ones called to say she’s taken a new job. She’s talked me off the proverbial ledge several times, given me needed advice, and has been a shoulder to cry on when I needed someone who understood what I was going through.
She assured me that she will still be there, but I can’t help but grieve this transition that my heart is aching over. I’m glad for her, this is a great move, but the tears I cried after the phone call summed up the loss I feel. How can I continue without her? I half-jokingly told her that I will also need to quit now. “It’s just not worth it without you.”
Mentors like her give women like me hope, encouragement, a smack down when we need a little humbling, and above all, true companionship in a professionally cold world.
If you haven’t found a mentor, likely they are right under your nose. They want to see you succeed. They want to see you raise your standards. They want the world for you.
We’ll call my angel of a mentor “Lynn”.
Lynn, I have a message for you. I love you. I’m happy for you. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done or said to me. I want you to know that I carry your words in my heart. You are one of the strongest women I know and I am proud to call you my mentor, my professional best friend. Best wishes on the new endeavor. Cheers to you! …and I mean that.
All my love,
Grasshopper
Tired Not Dead 