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It might feel like an odd time to be taking a career break aka unpaid special leave. The world is unpredictable, economically uncertain. Yet I have been thinking about taking some time out for months, while wrestling with the belief that I’m not the sort of person who does things like this. I’ve become increasingly drawn to coaching and mentoring, finding satisfaction in giving my full attention to one person and supporting them to the best of my ability.

To start with, a confession – I’m a natural Networking Avoider. I’m a friendly and sociable person but also somewhat introvert and get a bit overwhelmed with too much small talk and self-promotion – because that’s the best way to network, right?

Good things happen when you start saying no My cohort recently did the second module of Crossing Thresholds – ‘getting the balance right for you’.

When we talk about our personal brand it can sometimes sound very ostentatious or cheesy. But it is so important if you’re going to interview for a job, to know:  - What you’re good at

I completed my Crossing Thresholds course in 2017 having thoroughly enjoyed it and realising the ambitions I set myself, promotion being one of them. I’m not normally one for new years resolutions, but at the start of 2020, I decided I wanted to progress to the next grade by the end of the year.

Crossing many Thresholds My journey from a career civil servant to a freelance facilitator and mindfulness teacher, by Nicola Lowit  

Transforming the way we work One of the things that makes Thresholds’ courses so powerful is the intimate, conducive atmosphere we create when we are all in a room together.

Crossing Thresholds module 1  Dare to dream I recently completed the first module of Crossing Thresholds (CT) with a cohort of fellow civil servants. I heard about the course through a mentor who was herself a graduate. That was back in 2016 and since then I’ve missed out on a place twice, much to my frustration. Starting the course four years later I realise the timing is actually perfect.

Close your eyes and picture yourself “at work”, five years from now. What do you see? What kind of environment do you imagine yourself in? Are you with colleagues or alone? Are you addressing someone? If so, who is your audience? How do you feel in this moment?

To thine own self be true” is how I began my presentation at the Crossing Thresholds Programme. This famous Shakespeare quote taken from the play Hamlet, encapsulated the theme of my peer group assignment on Authentic Personal Impact; which explored the concept of authenticity and how you can apply this in the workplace or your personal life.

Thoughts on Quiet Leadership I’ve always been a quiet kind of person; I’m softly spoken and generally fairly reserved, and I tend to prefer thinking something through by myself to brainstorming in a group.

So why do women choose Crossing Thresholds? Every time I meet a new group I feel a sense of excitement and curiosity.  Each person who comes on Crossing Thresholds comes from such a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and expectations; each one unique. What unites everyone, is that they are about to embark on the Crossing Thresholds journey, learning from and supporting each other.