Trailing Spouse or Rejoining the Workforce? We Try the Fulfilment Journey Workshop

Stuck in a rut? Need a life plan to define and then reach your goals? Trailing spouse Natalie tried out The Fulfilment Journey Workshop to do just that

Founded by former HR professional Julieta Timane, Black Ink Words was born out of a process of self-discovery from the challenges of being a trailing spouse in Malaysia some four years ago. The 30-day Fulfilment Journey workshop takes a holistic approach to developing and supporting anyone who may have got lost on the path to change or who simply needs some guided reflection to assist in changing their lives.

We began with an online video call taking me through each of the transformation rules such as “Take 100% Responsibility for Absolutely Everything that Happens to you” and “Bring your Mortality to life” – all complemented by Julieta’s real-life anecdotes. Alongside motivational quotes from Angelou, Twain et al, she encourages reflection and sharing along with practical suggestions to bring my goals to fruition. During the workshop it was clear that whilst being highly organised, I would benefit from a formalised life plan tying back to my goals – this then became a priority for the coming weeks.

Storytelling is fundamental to the workshop and through a few exercises I was taken on an introspective journey of gratitude and visualisation to reveal my true objectives and to understand the stepping-stones to achieving them (sharing your answers is not compulsory, though to get the most out of the experience it is recommended). Themes such as self-kindness and patience emerged as prominent development areas; for every goal it is imperative there is a tangible reward, reinforcing recognition of milestone achievements no matter how big or small.

Following the online session, Julieta recapped my action points and provided a list of Personal Development resources and positive affirmations to keep me on track – I can already feel there’s a lot of work to do here! Over the transformation period Julieta checked in several times offering encouragement, feedback on various actions I had taken, and a curated plan for moving forward – I felt I could reach out at any point, which gave me confidence in her approach. She is amiable and someone you can easily identify with; I enjoyed having her as my conscience, soundboard and supporter. As a naturally structured person, the defined framework resonated well with me – I do however think a second online call maintaining the “face to face element” would add even more value to the transformation process.

Overall, I found the experience to be stimulating yet not overwhelming (as ambitious goal-attainment can often be) and appeals to anyone stuck in a rut, about to embark on a career/ life-change or just needs reconnecting to whatever makes them tick. My take-away is to be SMART with your goals – be realistic about what can change in a month but also make it your job – and always be accountable for your actions.

The workshop itself can only deliver you part way and its no secret that commitment is the basis of success, so it’s important you are invested – as with anything you can only be lead to the water, the onus of drinking is down to you!

The One-on-One Fulfilment Journey Workshop is priced at $389 (€242). Click here for more info!