Let’s face it: you’re looking at a long haul. I took 10 years to finish and a lot of my peers–a lot of excellent scholars–never made it. With the job market iffy, I spent a lot of time wondering why I was even in grad school.

But the truth is, I had no other plans. I couldn’t imagine myself in the business world, so I just kept studying. I also loved teaching. Like, really loved it.

I also fell in love with and married another grad student–in the same field.

So what were the chances that the both of us would get tenure track jobs in the same city? Almost immediately, one of us was in a 3-hour commute. That works for a lot of couples. But we found it wearying.

I started to think whether I could leave academe for a job in the private sector. But what would I do? I had no idea.

I sought out a career counselor, someone to help me understand about how to build a resume and what skills were transferable. Very helpful. I found a job. But I didn’t find a vocation. That came later after years of work.

What I needed was a life coach. A good life coach. Someone to help me understand who I was at my core–my most essential self.

If you’re in graduate school and you’re starting to wonder how you can best share your gifts to meet the world’s great need, consider working with me. I’m a life coach, and I’ve been where you are. You can choose to stay or you can find another way–but why not get a little help as you make you choice.

Life coaching is quarantine friendly because it’s done over the phone, and it fits within a graduate school budget. If you’re eating nothing but ramen, it won’t be because of me.