How the death of a parent impacts career change

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Dr. Rowena Winkler, a Cosmic Catalyst Coach & Realignment Strategist that helps women find their voice and take intuitive action steps so they can live authentically empowered lives. In this conversation, Dr. Rowena Winkler discusses how her career was on autopilot until the passing of her father prompted her to evaluate her stressful career trajectory and led her to pivot from academia to a more fulfilling career in the marketing industry. 

 

QUOTES

“My sister told me that dad had passed away. And once I found out and I just, you know, I told my students, I walked out, I told the chair of my department and I got my things together and drove home.”- Dr. Rowena Winkler
“[In terms of staying at a career I was no longer happy with] I think it was just the fear of failure, right, that I had invested so much time, so much energy, so much money into these degrees and into this education and the expectation that I would do what I quote, unquote, was supposed to do with these degrees, which is to be a tenure track faculty member, you know, I was a rock star of my department. So I think there was also a fear that there would be judgment or that I would let people down.” - Dr. Rowena Winkler
“I think the journey as an immigrant kid, especially much of my life, was checking these boxes and performing and achieving, especially academically, and just doing all of these external validation things to make me feel that I'm contributing, that I'm valued, that I have worth. And it just got to the point where I didn't even really know what I wanted anymore. And that I needed to find time to figure out for myself inside what makes me happy, and not what makes my family or makes other people around me, the department chair, whoever happy, you know, I need to advocate for myself.” - Dr. Rowena Winkler

 

TIMESTAMPS

[0:43] Meet Dr. Rowena
[6:26] Broader acceptance of improving mental health and advice for professionals currently struggling with their own mental health
[10:17] Benefits of talking to a therapist about your mental health over talking to a good friend
[11:36] The major event that happened in Dr. Rowena’s life that would change her career path 
[15:28] Why Dr. Rowena didn’t make a career move right away but instead stayed in a career path she no longer desired 
[16:42] Dr. Rowena’s advice for people staying at roles that aren’t right for them but don’t want to make a move
[18:40] Dr. Rowena’s plan to get out of academia
[24:39] How Dr. Rowena knew that Marketing Communications was the field that she needed to move to once she left academia 
[26:09] Resigning from academia and what her superior and co-workers thought of her making this move 
[27:37] Asian parenting dynamic affecting career choices 
[33:27] What Dr. Rowena is doing now in her career 
[35:53] One career lesson that Dr. Rowena can share to help people take action today to start getting what they want in their career and life 
[38:06] Contacting Dr. Rowena
[38:43] Outro

 

RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

Dr. Rowena Winkler Website
Chan With A Plan
Chan With A Plan Facebook Group