*Check update at the bottom of this post!
I’ve finally finished something (actually two somethings) I never even thought I’d start. Something I had no desire to do, no dream to do, no reason to do, until I uncovered and took hold of a passion.
Many of you know my story, or parts of it. I had a successful ten-year career in psychology, backed by two graduate degrees in the field. I had a good job, worked with some good people, and made a good living. But it never felt like I was doing what I was meant to do. In fact, I kinda dreaded every day of it.
Career coach and author of The Boomerang Approach – Return to Purpose, Ignite Your Passion, Reiner Lomb, believes that while so many people want a career rich with personal meaning, most don’t really know what direction to go. He recommends what he calls “the boomerang approach” to come up with the answer: figuring out what you used to be passionate about and then making a career turn (a boomerang) so you can start doing work related to it.
My Path to Psychological Staging
I didn’t follow a straight or deliberate path. I didn’t know what my passion was or wanted to do as a career at age 15 or even at age 25. I was interested in reading books, working on my tan, finding “Mr. Right,” and dreaming about having a family and home of my own someday.
I always loved decorating, but I never believed and was certainly never told I was good at it. My upbringing was not the kind that encouraged any kind of thinking outside the box, that’s for sure. I wasn’t naturally talented with anything that anyone would call “creative.” I was messy and my decorating taste was tacky and overdone. A career in interior design was not in the cards for someone as untalented and uncreative as me.
When deciding on a career path, I knew that I was interested in psychology and how people ticked, I felt comfortable in a school setting, and I wanted to be off work in the summers (you know – to work on that tan and look for “Mr. Right”). So I became a School Psychologist, testing and diagnosing mental and learning disabilities for the next ten years.
But on the side and on weekends, I trolled antique and second-hand shops, went to open houses just to see how they decorated the interior, and read every decorating magazine and book ever published. I wouldn’t have described it then as a passion. It was just for fun, a hobby. After marrying my Mr. Right (Mr. Man), we renovated and restored a series of houses, for ourselves and to flip. These were the things I wanted to devote more and more time to, and a passion began to bubble up that was increasingly difficult to suppress. I resisted pursuing it for a career because I didn’t have the background or professional training in this area. This wasn’t psychology or education! I only had a growing passion, and just a little self-taught skill. So I dabbled. Dabbled in house-flipping, even dabbled in home staging when Mr. Man had his real estate license for a period of time. But frankly, I wasn’t very good at either.
Until I had a conversation with a friend over dinner one Thursday night over a decade ago. At this point, I had thought about going back to school to get a design degree – but I already had seven years of college + graduate work under my belt and now young children at home. I wanted to step forward in a new direction, but not go back and start over. I shared with my friend a brochure about a home staging training course that was only three days long, but it wasn’t cheap. And I was just dabbling, right? It would be silly to invest in something that was really just a hobby, a pipe dream, not even something I was very good at (yet). My friend nudged me with a simple and repeated, “Why not, Kristie?”
My Boomerang Moment
I signed up and took the course. Earning that certification was my pivot point, my boomerang moment. I began moving forward, going to uncomfortable places, taking a few risks. I drew on my training in psychology and education and approached this new career in a way others did not. I learned all I could, practiced all I could, and I watched the doors open, one after another. I walked and sometimes ran through door after door, finding myself right in the middle of my purpose, my passion. A passion that led to all kinds of exciting things: staging and decorating homes, authoring a blog read by people across the world, developing workshops and training programs, writing for and being interviewed by magazines and newspapers, earning local and national awards, doing public speaking, and embarking on a few exciting collaborations I can’t even share with you yet.
one of my workshop events at Merridian Home Furnishings
In addition to that (and to my true surprise), I have found myself empowered to help and bless people and causes in a completely different way than I thought possible.
Back to the Something I Finished I Never Even Thought I’d Start
And today I’m announcing the launch of my two self-published books. I didn’t decide to write them because I’m a writer at heart (I am not) or because I always had a desire to write a book (I did not), but because of an underlying passion. A passion that had been hidden so deep within me that I was somewhat surprised when I began to recognize its existence about twelve years ago. A passion that has moved beyond learning to do something well to wanting to share and teach others how to do the same.
view a video about the professional manual here, and one about the homeseller’s edition here
I wrote the first and more lengthy book for professionals, Psychological Staging – The Home Staging Secrets of The Decorologist about a year ago, but held off putting it out there until I completed the companion book for non-professionals, Psychological Staging – The Homeseller’s Edition. Both books share what I’ve learned and the system of psychological staging I’ve developed over a decade. I believe in this system and have proven it works!
These books are written for different audiences with different purposes. Psychological Staging – The Home Staging Secrets of The Decorologist is a professional manual for those who want to start a home staging business or for pro stagers who want to take their business to the next level. You can find out more about what you’ll learn about psychological staging and how to purchase the book here.
The Homeseller’s Edition is written for anyone who is considering selling their home and want to do so quickly and for top dollar. We will also be offering this edition to real estate professionals in bundles at a discounted rate. If you’re a Realtor, contact me for more information about that option. You can find out much more about what you’ll learn in this book and how to purchase Psychological Staging – The Homeseller’s Edition here.
How to Become a Certified Expert Psychological Stager™
Do you want a career rich with personal meaning? Are you going to wait five more, ten more, twenty more years before you return to purpose and ignite your passion? Now may be your time to pursue that passion, take that step, devote a weekend, walk through that open door. If so, join me May 7-9, 2015 in Nashville for the intensive Expert Psychological Staging course that will provide you with the inspiration, knowledge, skills, and certification in psychological staging that will lead you to a career of purpose and passion. Spring is the perfect time to visit Nashville, and you’ll be home by Mother’s Day to celebrate the launch of your new career!
*UPDATE: The next Expert Psychological Stager™ Course is being offered March 9-11, 2017. Spots are filling up, so sign up now!
I will definitely be ordering your book for professionals Kristie! I have learned so much from you over the years just by reading your blog, so can’t wait to read it. If I lived closer I would be taking your course!
Thank you so much, Jo! I so appreciate your input, comments, and support 🙂
Good for you Kristie! It comes a time in our career when we have to do what feels right and follow our dreams and heart. That’s one of the reason I stopped chasing the hustle and bustle of the High Point Market crowd and went towards Holistic Design – because like your path, it felt good to me! I wish you the best! Follow your heart, follow your dreams, follow your path.
Thanks, Donna! I think it’s wonderful that you seem to have chosen a path that is uniquely yours and you’re loving it! Sometimes things just feel “right” or things just feel “wrong.” I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!
Such an encouraging story! I find what you do with staging and the psychological aspects of it quite fascinating. It is not my passion, but it is interesting to me, and because it is YOUR passion, you make learning about it even more interesting and fun. 🙂
Hi Kristie,
Congrats on your two books! That’s an awesome accomplishment and I’m sure a tremendous amount of work. Every time I read something you’ve written, I find more and more parallels in our lives. I too, while not formally trained have had a keen interest in psychology and “what makes people tick.”
It’s not so that I can control them but how I can control me. Not everyone has my best interests at heart and those people don’t wear a sign saying, “Laurel, you’re going to regret the day you ever laid eyes on me–wooo hahahahahah!” No, they are verrrrry nice—at first. :/ They don’t change and can’t see themselves for who they are either. It’s best to steer clear.
In addition, I have a 20 yr old on the autistic spectrum. Very long road. Don’t need to say anything else about that.
Most people are afraid to follow their dreams. Or… they don’t have any to begin with. It’s a struggle. Thanks for being such an inspiration!
xo,
Laurel
Laurel, here’s a virtual hug from another mom of kids on the spectrum (three of my four). It’s not an easy life, trying to follow our dreams, and helping them to find theirs.
Always Inspiring, Kristie. And really perfect timing for me to have read this blog post. As you probably know, I’ve been active in the color and design field in many ways over the past 25 years (Yeah a long time…never mind!) Anyhow, time to refocus and explore what is the most meaningful and enjoyable and fulfilling ways to work in what I love and add a new dimension to my own life and that of others.
Thanks for sharing your flow of knowledge and experience.
Thanks! This is an inspiring story even for those of us who do not pursue staging. It’s a good reminder (in middle age for me) to revisit those passions that drove me to the career I put on hold to have kids. Thanks for sharing.
YES! Melissa, thank you for your comment – it could be any passion – we are all called to different things! The boomerang idea really resonated with me.
Do you hear me clapping and cheering for you? I’m so proud of you! It is so awesome that you found your passion and have used it to help so many people! Love you!
Aww, thank you so much, Michelle! I appreciate your encouragement and support over the years – you are a wonderful friend to me, and I love you!
I am so grateful everyday to be able to do what I love for a living. Hope to meet you someday soon when I visit my son!
Yes, Your blog is read all over the world. I’m reading it right now on the deck watching a chaotic morning unfold in Delhi, India! Your story is fascinating and I’ll be passing it along to my college freshman as she explores the path of her education. Thanks for the reminder that we are never ” stuck” in one place if we have the courage to always grow and learn…pam
Thank you for sharing your story!! The video of the cemetery house renovation brought tears to my eyes! That’s when you know you’ve really “made it”, right?? Giving back! Congratulations!
Wow, so much exciting news, Kristie!
I’ve not heard of the Boomerang Approach, but it makes so much sense.
Congratulations on your books! I know it’s been a long time coming. I don’t know how you get it all done. You are awesome!!
And Ty’s House is wonderful, truly a gift for your community.
You go, girl!
Thank you, Beth!:)
What an amazing and inspiring story of your career! I would love to hear more about it. As I am sure many others do, I can relate to the first part (working in a profession for years and not being totally happy, wanting to change directions without having to start over, etc.) –Maybe you could continue the story of your development from psychologist to designer extraordinaire in future blog posts? (or do you describe it in the forward to your books?
Speaking of “continuations”…. On your website, whenever I click on a link to an older post, I am not sure how to find the follow-up post that you often mention “will be coming” (and since they are old posts, I assume that have already come a long time ago! ) Would it be possible for you to provide a link to the follow-ups, or somehow let us search the whole archive of your old posts in some sort of chronological order?
I am a recent subscriber to your posts and LOVE both your beautiful decorating and your informative writing style! I hope to be able to buy your books soon!
Thanks.
Phyllis,
I always mean to add the follow-up links later, but sometimes I forget! Thanks for the reminder – I will try to add those in. Thanks for the comment and encouragement!!! That means a lot to me!
Perfect timing for the books for me. I am interested in becoming a home stager and I am preparing my house to sell. Do I need to purchase both books or does the pro book contain all the same information as the seller book?
Maryann,
I think that the pro book would be the appropriate one for you to purchase – there is overlap in the homeowner version, and it’s directed to a regular homeowner. There are some things in the homeowner version that are unique to it, but if you are interested in becoming a home stager, I’d recommend the pro version. I’d love to have you come do my Expert Psychological Stager™ certification course!
Thanks, Kristie! I’m very interested in taking your course, possibly in September. It depends on the timing of my move.