This blog post has been authored by Stand Out Online Member Carla Balentina-Martina, CarlaMartinaCoaching

That day was, completely unexpectedly, my last working day as a Human Resource Manager. I was fired!

I called my husband, told him the news, and then I went home. I was disappointed, but surprisingly, I was not angry, mad, or sad. The only thing that came into my mind was ‘Oh, they don’t know what they’ve missed’.

I immediately decided that I didn’t want to work for no boss anymore. Within a couple of months, I started my own consultancy business. It was hard; I made extremely long days, I had no weekends, little earnings, but … I loved the ‘freedom’. Working as an independent consultant was somewhat different from being a corporate HR Manager. As a consultant, my clients expected me to search and find out their problems and challenges, think and present innovative solutions and ideas, and implement them successfully.

I did that for a couple of years, but I still felt that something wasn’t right. While my clients were seemingly satisfied, I was concerned for them. Especially when they returned to me for support, for problems that have similar origins. I soon realized that I could help my clients increase their analytic and problem-solving capability to solve their own problems sustainably. I could help them increase their awareness, grow personally, find the real reasons for their problems and challenges instead of thinking and implementing solutions.
I needed to change my approach.

After an intensive search on the market and several online programs, I ran into iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching), for me the best available coaching program. I did the program in one year, traveling back and forth from Curaçao to Miami, Florida. It was then that I experienced my biggest breakthrough ever. I became aware of who I really am, and I’ve learned to shift my energy, manage my emotions, and actions and show up the way that I want. I’ve learned what my real strengths are, tap into them, use them for my own growth, and inspire and motivate others. I COULD BE ME!

After attending the first module and experiencing some serious changes, I could deliver more value to my clients. After being certified as a professional coach, I transitioned from consultant to coach.

Now I help, particularly, senior (45 plus) professionals and entrepreneurs who want to move forward and go to the next level of success and impact, but think that they don’t fit in this modern business world because they are from a different generation, they are too old, or not technologically savvy enough, etc. I am doing what I really love, and actually, it doesn’t feel like working.

Where would I’ve been today if I wasn’t fired 8 years ago? Every challenge has another side. On the other side of every challenge/problem lies opportunities. You need to how and practice approaching the situation differently, with a different mindset!

To adopt a different mindset means that you need to change. Change is transitioning from an old to a new situation or state. No change can be sustainable if you don’t know WHY you need to change and what you need to change. The very first step in every change process is to create that awareness. Unlike most coaches and trainers, I take time to create/ increase that self-awareness in my clients before jumping into any change process.

The Energy Leadership Index Assessment (ELI) is a unique tool that helps you create self-awareness. When you take the ELI, you will understand why you react or show certain attitudes in any situation. When you know and understand this, you can choose how to act in different situations.

My life journey until now is not shocking or dramatic, I think, but it is worthwhile sharing with you for sure. There are different moments in my life that I call my Turning Points. These moments determined the person that I am today and what I have accomplished. No regrets at all.

After a 20 years’ career as an HR Executive and independent Consultant, I’ve started my journey to become a personal and business transformational coach after my 50’s, and I’m amazed how much I was able to learn, teach, inspire, and share. Yet, I am still doing that with grace, and I want you to know all the details of what has brought me success in life and business.

Hopefully, you can learn and benefit too from all my wins, failures, and successes. I call them experiments!