When Work and your Design Align

When Work Doesn’t Fit — PART 3

I thought the first assessment was wrong. Surely “unstructured” was just stress and not actually me. After resigning from mortgages, I trained as a Career Direct consultant and began giving assessments and consultations. LOVED it. (still do!) As a part of my training, I took the assessment again - this time in a calm season. The results barely changed. “Unstructured” remained my strongest trait. That was harder to dismiss.

Another assessment, same result

One of the strengths of the assessment is its consistency. Interests and skills may shift over time, but personality remains remarkably stable. Seeing the same result twice forced me to reconsider what I had resisted. What did it mean? Internally, it translated to undisciplined. Flaky. Not able to compete. But after reading, researching, and talking with my trainer — who gently reminded me there are no bad traits — I began to consider something freeing: Although my home was quite structured, I was not. Additionally, around that same time, I was seeing a therapist and cautiously raised the question of possibly being ADHD. Her immedicate, “You think?” was both humorous and clarifying. It didn’t define me — but it explained some things. When I slowly shared this with close friends and family, no one seemed surprised. (Except me.)

One of the reasons I knew these things weren’t true, is because I had been the structure in our home with lots of A.D.H.D. For a while, the possibility and realization brought discomfort and regret. Why hadn’t this been picked up before? What would life have been like, had I known? Would my choices have been different? Eventually though, frustration gave way to acceptance and relief. I discovered a whole body of research about ADHD in women — including capable, creative women at the peak of their careers. I was in good company!

Over the next couple of years, the Lord gently confirmed His design in me. He showed me the strengths of my wiring — creativity, adaptability, big-picture thinking, and gave me strategies for the harder parts (hello, time-blindness).

Something shifted.

I led our church in a Job Fair with Better Together. As we packed up that evening, I sensed the Lord say, “This is one of the good things I had in mind for you to do.” (Not audibly, but distinctly, nonetheless.) I later accepted a role within Better Together, working in ways aligned with how I’m wired — and the difference was unmistakable.

The work felt intuitive instead of forced.

Expansive instead of constricting.

Energizing instead of exhausting.

I cannot tell you the difference it makes to work with your design instead of against it.

Understanding your wiring doesn’t remove effort. It removes unnecessary friction.

It replaces shame with clarity, freedom and contribution.

The Lord knows what’s next for each of us.

The question is — are we willing to understand how He’s designed us?

If you’ve been wondering whether your work truly fits who you are, maybe it’s time to explore that question honestly.

I’d love to have that conversation with you.