Faye McDonough

Things I’ll miss about working in London… Well, the view in this picture for one (absolutely beautiful in the late March sunshine).

I started to take more pictures during my final lunchtime walks in The City – this is one of them. 

I was a month or so into a three month notice period, realising that these walks and views were coming to an end.

I was also realising that no more commute = no more writing time.

This realisation sparked a deeper reflection on how I was approaching the entire transition period. Looking back on my notice period a month into my new role, I know now that career transitions offer unexpected opportunities for reflection and growth – if you approach them mindfully rather than just powering through to the finish line.

Here I’m sharing my thoughts on ending well, celebrating wins, conserving energy and most importantly, doing that all authentically.

The Unexpected Gifts of Endings

When I committed to commuting regularly to London again, I knew I had to make the most of that time. I used my train time to write or publish – and the more I did it, the more I wanted to. Who knew the 17.07 to Cambridge could spark such creativity?

I tapped into the version of Faye that I’d forgotten was there. The one that was never without a diary, wrote stories and even poetry (I’d totally forgotten about that until recently) for fun as a kid.

Dipping into my online community on those journeys also kept me entertained and inspired for two and a bit years. I really enjoyed helping others with their businesses, career challenges, work/life balance… It was a pleasure.

Sometimes what we’ll miss most about a role isn’t what we expect. The commute I’d often complained about became my creative sanctuary. The routine I was ready to change had been supporting parts of myself I’d almost forgotten existed.

Continuing to write and reflect on the transition helped me process it meaningfully. I realised that I was ready to say goodbye to the commute but not to the writing.

It’s been exciting seeing it take its new shape – writing less frequently but for longer pieces like this one, and on here, my new online home. 

Your reflection: What unexpected gifts has your current role or routine been providing? What might you miss that you haven’t fully appreciated?

The Importance of Celebrating Career Wins

But no more commute also meant a chance to reset. A chance to think about how to do things differently as I started a new chapter.

Going through a significant career change really got me thinking about celebration. How do you mark career wins when life won’t slow down?

There were multiple opportunities to celebrate during my career transition – the job offer, the Board approval, the resignation, the last day at the old job… But despite the number of celebratory cards from my husband (there were several!), it didn’t always hit the spot.

Moments like that can slip by unnoticed in the daily rush and even when celebrated, they can be brushed off quickly, with humour of course (typical Brit behaviour!)

It got me thinking – how do we pause to celebrate success when we’re juggling so much at once – and also let’s be honest, when it can feel uncomfortable?

If a job offer is hard to celebrate well, what about the daily wins where we are stretching, growing and building new skills? We’re brilliant at noticing what’s not working, but what about when things go right?

Despite writing down weekly wins and monthly highlights, I still find myself scrambling for examples when asked for achievements or successes. Those moments somehow fade from memory when we need them most.

I tried to mark my new role with an Aesop hand cream – until a good friend pointed out that this was madness and warranted much, much more!

So, three weeks before starting, I treated myself to a yoga retreat to celebrate – a dream a long time in the making.

In that experience, I realised that it’s the celebration that makes the moment stick, creating memories that won’t be easily forgotten. I enjoyed it so much it deserved its own piece here. 

Your reflection: How do you celebrate your professional wins? What would celebrating in proportion to your achievements actually look like?

Managing Energy Through Transition

But there was also another challenge…how do you get ready for a transition to a new role with energy to spare?

Last time I made a career move, I benefited from six months off. Admittedly we moved house and there was, well, a little thing called Christmas to sort out but comparatively, I was chilled.

I’d never done as much exercise and after embracing the void and just being ‘Faye’ rather than ‘Faye from X’ for a while, I had a clarity of purpose I’d never had before.

This time around, it was a bit different…

A ‘normal’ week in my world combines a lot of stuff. Personal and professional. I’m sure my life looks like yours so no need to spell it out…

Whilst the lunchtime walks in the sunshine were more frequent, I still had a couple of big things to finish and I wanted to arrive at my pre-start date holiday in good shape, not crawling to the finish line.

So it was a challenge. But also a challenge I learned a lot from.

Instead of go, go, go, I aimed for slow, slow, slow 🐌

The further I get in my career and life, the more I realise transitions matter. I used to just power through and crash afterwards. Now I know taking it steady works better – for the job, my health and for me.

These were my commitments to conserve energy during those final weeks – sharing here in case they are useful to you too:

My Energy Conservation Strategy

1. Having 1 work priority for the final weeks
2. If it’s not related to that priority, it’s a No 
3. Toning down exercise commitments. Big goals can wait 
4. Decluttering to clear mental space (and because I love it!) 
5. ‘Easy to read’ fiction in, everything else out 
6. Prioritising outdoor time 
7. Maintaining daily feel-good habits – steps, favourite snacks 
8. No new ideas (aka podcast hiatus – this one is still going a month later!) 
9. Listening to favourite tunes 
10. Early nights

This approach recognised that transition periods require different energy management and funnily enough, I’ve stuck with most of these as I get to grips with a new challenge.

It was about being strategic with my energy, acknowledging that staying motivated in my ‘old role’ was taking a lot of brain power, rather than trying to maintain everything at full intensity – and it worked.

Your reflection: What would conserving energy look like in your current situation? Which activities genuinely serve you during times of change, and which could wait?

Staying Authentic Through Change

One thing that remained constant through this transition was questioning what authenticity looks like. 

Writing about my experiences throughout the notice period proved invaluable. It was tempting to hide away and reappear with a new job announcement, but in sharing the journey, I created more space for reflection and growth. 

I now have a documented transition to look back on, complete with the messy, uncertain, and ultimately rewarding parts.

This process reminded me that authenticity isn’t about having everything figured out – it’s about being honest about where you are, including the parts that feel uncomfortable or uncertain.

Questions for Your Own Career Transition

Whether you’re currently in transition or preparing for one:

• What unexpected gifts is your current situation providing that you might not have noticed?
• How do you mark achievements in a way that makes them memorable?
• What would conserving energy during busy periods look like for you?
• How do you maintain authenticity when circumstances are changing?
• What celebration rituals could you create for your professional wins?
• How do you carve out time for creativity when routines change?

The Art of Mindful Transition

Career transitions don’t have to be endured – they can be navigated thoughtfully with intention and self-awareness.

The key insights I took from this experience:

Endings matter as much as beginnings. Taking time to acknowledge what you’re leaving behind helps you appreciate what you’re moving toward.

Celebration creates lasting memory. Without intentional marking of achievements, even significant career wins can fade from memory when we need them most.

Energy management is strategic. Knowing when to conserve and when to push is crucial for arriving at new opportunities ready to thrive rather than just survive.

Authenticity requires regular checking in. Especially during periods of change, it’s worth questioning whether your actions align with your values and genuine self.

Now that I’m settled into my new role, I can see how valuable this mindful approach to transition was. The strategies I used not only helped me end well but also set me up to begin strong.

I’m really interested in your stories of navigating transitions authentically. How do you mark new beginnings when there’s still a lot going on? What works for you when routines change?