Can you re-frame redundancy to be a gift?  In this episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of Steve Duke. He shares how a redundancy prompted him to take a career break, allowing him to reassess and discover his true professional passions.  Steve's story is a testament to the power of sabbaticals in shaping successful careers and creating a life you love.  We discuss amongst other topics: The impact of redundancy and the decision to take a sabbatical Insights gained during his career break Transitioning back into the workforce Strategies for others considering a career break Chapters:  00:00 Introduction and Background 01:20 Steve's Sabbatical Story and Motivation for Taking a Sabbatical 05:12 Challenges of Figuring Out What You Want 07:36 Planning and Preparing for the Sabbatical 09:05 Challenges and Mindset on the Road 12:54 Exploring Interests and Prototyping Life 17:11 Maintaining Routine and Discipline 20:01 Reflections on the Sabbatical Experience 25:45 The Power of Deep Conversations and Listening 29:21 Memorable Story: Following the Violin Music 32:06 Cutting the Trip Short: Making Decisions Based on Your Desires 41:31 Finding Job Satisfaction in the Mental Health Space 44:52 Journaling and Following the Breadcrumbs 49:33 Saying Yes to New Experiences and Exploration 52:25 Creating a Life with More Freedom and Fulfillment Guest bio: Steve Duke is the Founder of the Hemingway Group, a consultancy supporting mental health startups who want to scale their impact.  Steve's impressive career history includes valuable experience as a McKinsey consultant, Head of Marketing at LetsGetChecked and former executive at Wayflyer, having joined as one of the first ten employees and playing a pivotal role in scaling the business to unicorn status within three years. For more details and to get in touch with Steve visit her LinkedIn profile -  Additional resources:  The Hemingway Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hemingway-group-mental-health/ The Hemingway Report - https://hemingwayau.substack.com/ Two Roads Podcast - https://stephenduke8.podbean.com/ Episode transcript: Coming soon!  Other episodes you may enjoy:  Kicking things off with the Queen of Career Breaks and Sabbaticals with Katrina McGhee How do employers really perceive your career break with Anika Stokes Get in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you.  Buzz us a DM on Instagram - @Sabbatical_Stories or reach out on LinkedIn - Rebecca Thomas Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching:  I’m a coach who supports individuals through pivotal moments of transition in both their personal and professional lives. I support those who are facing a crossroads to discover clarity. Working with you I empower you to invest in a future version of yourself that will make you proud. Through personalised coaching sessions and my signature career transition and sabbatical programs I aim to provide a supportive and nurturing environment for you to explore your values, strengths and goals. More importantly I coach you to intentionally design your next chapter by redefining what success looks like to you and then implementing it. Feel Good Getaways - https://feelgood-getaways.com/ With special thanks to:  Aunty B at the Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWA Website - https://joannacooke.co.uk YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacooke Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/ Keywords sabbatical, redundancy, self-discovery, travel, career, identity, sabbatical, travel, storyt