Lucy Lee shares how her messy and unplanned 8 week career break  led to a major transition in her life.  Lucy knew where she wanted to be physically but needed time to work out how to get there.  She emphasises the importance of knowing what makes you tick and how she believes it’s the foundation of living a good life.  We chat about why and how her break gave her the space and time to reinvent herself, shift her identity and led to the freedom she didn’t know she needed.  We discuss amongst other topics: How to build a life on the other side of the world when immigration laws all seem to be against you. The importance of finding out what makes you happy at zero cost. The impact of reverse engineering your life and career and how to integrate this into a career break. How to regularly reflect and assess your personal goals and values to help ensure that you are still aligned with what you want in life. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage 00:54 The Impact of a Messy and Unplanned Career Break 02:20 Navigating Different Job Roles and Transitions 03:44 Taking an Internal Promotion and Evaluating Career Options 06:34 Planning and Exploring Career Options During the Break 08:31 Overcoming Challenges and Adjusting Plans 10:41 The Allure of Sydney and the Feeling of Home 12:05 Defining What Makes You Happy and Reflecting on Identity 13:29 Strategies for Keeping Track of Happiness and Learning 17:34 The Messiness and Structure of the Eight-Week Break 18:34 Life Changes and the Sense of Freedom After the Break 19:03 Identity Shifts and Transitioning to a New Chapter 21:23 Unexpected Opportunities and Insights During the Break 22:49 Reflecting on the First Career Break and Traveling More 26:28 The Second Career Break and Calculated Planning 27:48 Top Three Tips for Taking a Career Break 30:46 Closing Remarks and Call to Action Guest bio: Lucy is a dynamic sales professional with a knack for balancing her corporate success with personal passions.  Over the past couple of years, Lucy has earned her motorbike license, taken a barista course, learned to DJ and embraced sobriety. In 2024, she's focused on living slowly—a goal she's eager to chat about. As a Sales Leadership Coach and Sales Enablement Professional she excels at building top-performing sales teams and empowering others to thrive.  Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn. Additional resources:  The Purple Patch Sales Edge Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/10RnPx5xwEcIR328A4feil Purple Patch Consulting: https://visitpurplepatch.com 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:  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/