Rosie the Riveter

If I’m honest – it took a good discussion to finally agree she should be in this group, as I’ve known Lauri for years. I wanted a group of strangers. Plus, I had a similar experiment years ago and Laurie, like some others, left inspired but not much more. But, I care for Lauri and I wanted her to have the opportunity to align her career with her full potential. So, I caved and reluctantly brought my third friend into the group.

Lauri is a resilient, achievement-oriented and strong woman. She reminds me of Rosie the Riveter. And, that’s a compliment – believe me. She fell into circumstances and started in the family business which started a disastrous cycle of career heartache, when her earliest and heartfelt vocational fantasies were mostly filled with dreams of being a devoted wife and mother. Tonight, I am touched when Lauri discloses how this process has helped her to be a better mother. I know this is true - and I am moved by her emotion and gratitude.

I am also deeply grateful for what I’ve learned from Lauri, and others, about the complexity of the human psyche on the path to finding more happiness. This was the missing piece five years ago. Finding your ideal career is not as easy as taking an inventory of what you do well and what’s most important in life; it’s about preparing yourself to think, behave and show up in alignment with your full potential. This takes time, introspection, some reprogramming, and a commitment to trying new strategies and taking small steps every day. But all too often, we’re moving too fast and looking for quick solutions when it comes to our careers. Therefore, we end up with a career path of reoccurring themes, familiar disappointments, and yes, more of the same. Even switching jobs can only change the scenery.

Maybe this is where my disappointment stems from tonight. Lauri has so many talents, interests and passions that are still waiting to be discovered, but I don’t think we’ve been able to help her think differently. I know personal change takes time, but I expected more the second time around. I expected her to go deeper, to reach further, and to finally see her full potential and do something about it. I can only hope we’ve provided her with a set of tools, some stories of inspiration and a different way to think about happiness, and when she is ready to step into her greatness – we’ll be here waiting. Until then, let me tell you about her magnificence.

Anything a handy man can do, Lauri can do it better – I’m sure. She built the house she lives in, can change a water heater without instructions, joyously stains her deck every year better than most contractors, has a mechanical aptitude second to none, is wicked with a weed eater, and these are the things that give her joy in her spare time. I suspect it comes from her passion to remind herself that a woman can do anything a man can do. Hence, the Rosie comparison.

She’s practical, reliable , persistent, and thinks we're just too slow because she can plow through work with ease, which explains why she prefers to work on her own. She can manage the most complex project by boiling it down into practical step-by-step solutions and is not willing to sacrifice quality. She enjoys things more than people, except when it comes to her family and the really important people in her life. In that category, she is a dear friend, devoted daughter, partner and sister (to those living and passed) and cares deeply for others, which is often displayed with gifts of self-sacrifice.

It’s an honor to know her...and I celebrate her successes. And, I know her journey continues.