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Today I will be speaking with a former middle school teacher who found the classroom to be increasingly challenging, so she ventured out on her own to coach adults and create content for others.
Mary Crimmins is from Orlando, where she worked for 17 years as a teacher instructing middle school students in history, government and geography. After COVID created extraordinary challenges for teachers, Mary decided to leave the classroom and start her own communications business. It was the fulfillment of a dream she harbored for years.
Now Mary produces a diverse amount of material for people and organizations, including writing books on behalf of others. She also wrote a book herself to encourage and empower other Christians to share their faith in the workplace.
When she started her business, Mary tapped into an established network of friends and colleagues to make connections to people who were looking for writers and communicators.
As she took on different projects, Mary quickly discovered she really liked working on certain things, but not others. Fortunately, as a self-employed communicator, she was able to fine-tune her marketing messages to hone in on those projects that piqued her creativity in ways that generated a lot of energy and joy.
She also coaches others regarding ways to improve their communication skills, whether writing or speaking. Both remain essential skills people need to succeed in light of the influence artificial intelligence has on communication today.
Mary came up with the idea for her book, “Taking the Holy Spirit to Work,” after sensing Christians often feel obligated to leave the Holy Spirit in the car when they show up for work. She said that’s unfortunate because Mary admits her career would have imploded in the past if she had not listened to the Holy Spirit guiding her thoughts, words and actions.
Rather than feeling they must squelch their faith at work, Mary offers advice on the best ways Christians can confidently talk to others to provide comfort and insight regardless of the situation they are in.
Mary has a number of writing projects on the back burner, too, and is contemplating taking her own communication skills to the next level by starting a podcast of her own. Like her students, Mary is always learning herself.
Some people think they have to go in a completely different direction from their original careers after turning 50. However, Mary shows it’s still possible to have a strong purpose without having to reinvent themselves.
People can connect with Mary at www.crimminscommunications.com. Her book is available on Amazon and at other bookstores.
That’s all I have for this week’s show. If you’d like help in identifying a purpose for your life or to get help planning your next steps, I’m offering a complimentary brainstorming session to members of the Forward From 50 Facebook community. For details, connect with me on Facebook or visit www.forwardfrom50.com.
I’ll have another inspirational interview on the next episode of the Forward From 50 podcast. Thanks for listening. If you like this show, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.
If you order Mary’s book from the link on this page, Forward From 50 may earn a small commission.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.