Barbara Wirth

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Introducing New-Career Chameleon, Barbara Wirth ... ‘What on earth will I do next?' With unemployment figures well into the millions, that may be the career question of the day. "It happened to me," Barbara admits. "For 36 years, I ran a successful interior design service in the Midwest and California. Not surprisingly, when the economy nosedived, so did my business, and I was at a crossroad. Not nearly ready to retire, I was faced with the challenge of redirecting my career path." read more » No-phone syndrome stimulates personal inventory and innovation. Whether we're self-employed or we work for someone else, we're all vulnerable, and the quiet phone is all the information we need. With too many unemployed and too few opportunities, many of us have no choice but to address the question ‘What do I do next?' The answer must be both realistic and heartfelt. ‘What do I love about being an interior designer?' That was the question Barbara asked herself. Her answer included the sense of style, order and aesthetics. That's when she and her husband, Cary, decided to start their own travel-journal company. It's called Travel Legacy, and the journals they are crafting are unique. "In my new career, I get to keep the aspects of interior designing I truly love," Barbara says. "However, I'm also able to incorporate another passion - painting." Travel Legacy Journals feature specially selected watercolors painted by Barbara to add to their value and individuality. With ample space for words, new sketches and other mementoes, each journal offers a unique way to record the adventure - and relive the magic again and again. "Travel was a favorite family tradition. We were insatiable explorers," she recalls. "Now I get to combine my own favorite travel experiences ... my design expertise ... as well as my paintings ... in a new business venture that's also a new career." Lesson from a chameleon ... In these tough times, perhaps we can learn from their ability to assess situations and do what it takes to not only survive, but to thrive. While we can't change the economic climate, we can change our job descriptions - and create new routes to professional success and personal growth. Barbara Wirth is a good example of a new-career chameleon in action! "Now I get to combine my own favorite travel experiences ... my design expertise ... as well as my paintings ... in a new business venture that's also a new career." Follow her on www.travellegacy.net/blog/ Follow her on www.twitter.com/journalsage Follow her on www.facebook.com/barbarawirth Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE