Writing this on Thanksgiving Eve, I’m thinking of gratitude and besetments at the same time. On the one hand, I know I have a magnificent life. On the other, it’s being so tumbled and tossed right now, I barely recognize it. Maybe you can relate: there’s a lot and tumbling and tossing going on out out there. Whether you’re seeing it in your job or your bank account, in the shifting of relationships or in time going faster than it used to, you can probably agree that it takes some grit to do this life-on-earth thing.
I’m taking a course in practice-building to learn to grow my coaching business as it shifts more from life coaching to holistic health counseling. Although I love the people I work with and I’ll gratefully accept life-coaching clients as they come to me, the health counseling is more of an interest and, I believe, more of a gift. But in all honesty, I was happy as a writer and speaker. It paid the bills and satisfied every professional part of me. Now I’m looking at both those industries dwindling before my eyes.
The book business, though depressed, is still viable. I know I can sell another book or two or ten before I die, and that gives me great comfort. But I used to write quite a bit for magazines, too, and they’re dropping like flies. Sure, there’s the Web, but the Web doesn’t pay, and this is my livelihood, not a hobby. The same with speaking. It accounted for a third of my income up through 2006, then dropped off a bit, and now, although I’m speaking more than ever, I’m earning less than ever from those efforts. And when I lost my radio show on Sirius a couple of years ago, I replaced it with an Internet show. That’s nice, but it doesn’t pay. “It’s exposure,” people say. Yeah, and with exposure and no money, a person can freeze to death.
Anyway, last night at class the topic was how to write articles to promote one’s business and do speaking and workshops, again to promote one’s business. I was in shock. This nice young man was “the enemy.” I sat there listening and realizing that it was he, and thousands like him, who had changed the information landscape. Professional journalism is going the way of the dinosaur. Professional speaking: ditto.
It’s not his fault. I’m sure he believes he’s fallen into the proverbial pot of jam and I can’t help but be happy for him. But people who write and speak to promote their products and services are purveyors of products and services; they’re more than likely not writers or speakers. Of course, if there’s no demand for professional writers and professional speakers, there will be no need for people, and I count myself as one, who have spent decades honing these crafts. We did it to make a living, sure, but we also did it so that readers and audiences could be educated, inspired, and held spellbound—not to encourage them to make some further purchase, but simply because education, inspiration, and being so moved that the hairs on your arms stand up have inherent value.
Okay, the world is changing. Nothing new there. If my daughter read this (she won’t), she’d say, “Suck it up, Mom.” And I realize that I have to do just that. It’s strange, though. I feel like a stagecoach driver or a speakeasy owner, a person skilled at trades that are rapidly becoming historic, or at least going from professional to amateur status. As I look at my life and see that I’m going to have to make drastic changes, I realize that I’m not different from the guy in Michigan who spend twenty years with GM, or the travel agents and video-store proprietors whose jobs have been vaporized by the overarching do-it-yourself-ness of a Web-based world. I don’t know the answer, but I know the question: “What’s next?” I know that there will be something, and that a Power greater than myself already knows the answer. Happy Thanksgiving.
Victoria Moran is a motivational speaker, the author of ten books, and a certified life coach and holistic health counselor. For a free sample session of life or health coaching, email charmedassistant@aol.com and put “sample session” in the subject line.
Photo credit: NUJ Photos
posted November 26, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Thanks so much for this article Victoria. In trying to rethink my next move in life, I feel at such a loss and like an antique in today’s world. It’s nice to have you speak so eloquently for us!!
posted November 26, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Ha! I can completely relate. Try being a librarian when most of the world thinks you can “just look it up on the Internet”….yea right.
posted November 27, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Tera,
I’m a librarian too and always have felt grateful that libraries have adapted so well to the new needs of our users! I truly believe we’ll always be relevant in order to organize all of the resources that are available to patrons. I’m continually astonished at how many jobs are available for professional librarians – particularly with MLS’s – I got 87 job ads in my inbox today! I think an older generation is retiring.
Amy, thrilled to be a librarian
posted November 28, 2009 at 11:11 am
I love librarians,and i have worked very closely with many of the librarians in my community.I cant say there are many jobs i my community for librarians. They also want to cut the hours in our local libraries.As this generation of young adults are working more and more in our local libraries.Which i am excited to see they enjoy their jobs after speaking to most of them and finding out its their second job.And they are mostly college students. I would never tell them or any other person to suck it up…. Thats kind of selfish, when you were depressed as it is. Holistic is about healing and total well-being… god bless you and your daughter.. and continue on together on your journey forwisdom and enlightenment. oh, and could you let me know about some of those library jobs in nyc.. because there are alot of people who need jobs.
posted November 28, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Victoria, who you are for me is a model for authenticity and transparency. As I near retirement from the financial services field, I have a sense of expectancy as to “what’s next?” also. A wise life coach gave me the wisdom that there is more energy available in moving toward something (a new field, new interests) rather than away from something (retirement). Whatever you decide to do, please keep A Charmed Life present for us!