"A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself." - Oprah Winfrey
Last autumn was a period of immense difficulty for me. My father was under hospice care, I was going through several life challenges, and I found myself struggling to maintain a balance in my relationships while feeling physically and mentally exhausted. For the prior five years, I had dealt with ongoing battles with continued weakness and fatigue as I underwent treatment to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer. With my mental health now at a low, the ability to manage my physical pain was spiraling me downward. I was at my lowest point.
As I sank into a depressive state, I contemplated giving up everything, including my life passion for Tech-Moms, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women re-enter the workforce or transition into technology careers. I lost interest in my usual activities, focusing solely on ensuring the well-being of my children. My own happiness took a backseat as I devoted months to caring for my father during his final days, following a year-long battle with an aggressive form of skin cancer.
Ironically, despite having authored a book on finding harmony, I struggled to find it in my own life. Then, unexpectedly, I received two separate messages within ten minutes, expressing gratitude for the impact I had made in the lives of those I had mentored. These messages lifted a weight off my shoulders, reinvigorating me allowing me to refocus on my purpose of helping individuals succeed in both their personal and professional lives.
I am sharing one of those messages below in the hope that it inspires each of you to recognize the positive influence you can have by dedicating even a small amount of time to mentor women seeking personal growth and contributing to a world in need of their talents and compassion. I guarantee, it will be reciprocated and benefit your own life, perspectives, and who knows - may even impact your future career success.
Hi Trina,
I'm not sure I ever properly thanked you, and that is a huge miss because you made an impact at a very pivotal time in my life. A friend shared this Business Insider article -- I've talked to him about similar experiences I've had working in an American Fork-based tech company--and when I saw your name, I knew I needed to reach out and let you know what an important influence you've had on my life!
You were my mentor through People Helping People and helped me land my first real job at Entrata in 2016 as a Utility Expense Management Specialist. I was so grateful for your help at the time, and you've been an inspiration to me ever since.
At that point, I was a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of five small children. I had finally gained the courage to leave my abusive husband, and I was trying to figure out how I was ever going to provide for my kids with no alimony and very little child support. I didn't have any professional women in my life, and had no blueprint for how to proceed. In addition to the technical help and coaching you gave me on my resume and interview prep, you served as a model that it can be successfully done, and inspired me to set my sights high.
I'm now Director of Client Success for [Company], leading an amazing team that is 50% women--even though it was only 10% when I joined it 4 years ago! I've changed my life completely since I met you, and I absolutely love it. I also love empowering women--both on my team and in my personal life--to tap into their strength and understand the value they have to offer businesses--the way you did for me!
I'm very grateful to you!
Warmly,
Kate
I want to say thank you in return to Kate. She too has no idea of the impact her words that day had for me and reminding me of my vision and purpose. Each of us has the opportunity to embrace the power of lending a helping hand and uplifting others, for in doing so, you sow seeds of kindness that will bloom into unexpected rewards. Remember, little acts of kindness and care go a long way. Start today and make a positive impact in someone's life! If you need to find a way to engage, Tech-Moms.org is always seeking mentors, coaches, presenters and speakers.
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