I had been previously working administrative jobs for 20 years. I won’t call it a “career” because I feel careers are one’s lifework, with passion and heartfelt dedication. I never felt this way. I worked these various jobs because I could do it well, I felt safe and secure, and it paid well. But I never felt happy, good, or satisfied.
Over the years, my energy continually decreased. I felt so frustrated with the work I was doing, and health issues were becoming a constant factor: chest pains and heart palpitations, bodily pains, migraines, digestive problems, nutrient deficiencies, and feeling so tired that I could hardly pick myself up off the couch on some days. I was seeing doctors, trying the “latest and greatest” dietary regimens and supplements, but nothing was resolved. I felt hopeless and depressed and didn’t even realize how much these things got worse (including bouts of anxiety) whenever I opened my work laptop at the start of the day.
In January 2022, I finally decided to see a therapist, as I felt so unhappy and “lost” every day, not knowing what to do. I felt desperate to bring about positive change and move forward in a new way. I researched therapists in the area, and there was one that I kept feeling very drawn to seeing. Something in me said “Yes” to contact her, so I decided to trust that and reach out to her for an appointment. Little did I know there would be a completely different reason I was pulled to meet her.
During my first session with the therapist, I felt very aligned being there with her, like I could tell it was right for me to meet her. As she asked questions and I responded, she could sense I was the type of client that would resonate with this next question: “Have you ever heard of Human Design?” This wasn’t the first time I had heard this. I had first heard of Human Design a couple of years prior, but at the time, I wasn’t feeling moved to dive into it and learn about it. This time, however, I felt very lit up at her mentioning this. I couldn’t wait to research this body of knowledge! When I went home and began moving my fingers on the keyboard to type in ‘Human Design,’ I could already feel this was going to alter the trajectory of my life.
I became so enthralled with all that I was learning and immediately signed up for the Human Design Foundation Courses. While these courses were great for deep self-discovery, I wasn’t sure where to go with them. Further research led me to The BG5 Business Institute, and something in me stirred with aliveness. While I was fascinated with Human Design, BG5 showed me the practicality of applying this science to the material world – the career and business world. This resonated with me as something that could be applied to the larger population and potentially reach many more people. Discovering BG5 became such a pivotal moment in time for me.
I created my BG5 Career Design Chart and learned I’m an Express Builder, and suddenly my life experiences were being shown to me in a whole new light! Throughout the years, in all my administrative jobs, I was trying to “make things happen,” come up with ideas, and figure everything out in my mind. Here was a blueprint for myself that showed me I’m designed to respond to life, follow my gut, and do work that I love - what a relief! My approach to my work life (and personal life) had been misaligned all these years, and learning my design allowed me to take a deep breath and begin relaxing into this understanding. I could feel that I wanted to bring BG5 into my life on a larger scale, and soon I would respond to this in a major way.
I was listening to a Human Design podcast one day, and their guest was Karen Sherwood, Director of Training, Marketing, and Educational Development at the BG5 Business Institute. I listened to Karen speak about the science of the BG5 system and how it’s used in the career and business world, and I began to experience a HUGE response and pull toward what she was sharing. I felt aligned with this system and knew that I wanted to make this my career. But how could I ever leave the “safety and security” of my well-paying corporate job I’d been at for nearly a decade? Well, it’s all about trust, as I would soon learn.
While at work, one day, everything unfolded in a way that completely depleted my energy and made my health issues even more present. I stepped away from my desk and walked, and the inner question came up, “Well, do I just quit this job?” And suddenly, I had another HUGE response and movement towards this, as a full-bodied “YES.” This scared me so much, but at that moment, I had a choice – I could ignore this response and stay living and working as I have, or I could trust in this science that I was embodying more and more. I didn’t love my work, so I chose to trust and left my job two months later, in April 2022.
Trusting my response to life guided me to take a six-month break from working to heal my mind and body, rediscover my love of life, and continue my studies toward becoming a BG5 Career and Business Consultant. My health was returning, and my energy soared! I was even guided to a part-time job that I enjoy, giving me time to focus on my true love, BG5! I am so grateful this system came into my life. It gave me my life back, and I’m excited to continually watch my life unfold, one response at a time!
Valerie Dorough is an Express Builder with over 20 years of experience working administratively in Healthcare, Financial, Aging Services, and other industries. She is certified as a Yoga Teacher and Laughter Yoga Leader and is passionate about learning to be fully in our bodies as we experience this journey we call life. She considers herself a lifelong learner, loves reading and researching, and is currently enrolled in the BG5 Career and Business Consultant Certification Program.
