My Journey to Tourism
Life as a tourism operator…
I can’t say it’s what I always imagined because this was never on my radar.
It’s something that’s always been part of my life though. My dad started our business in 1978. It’s older than I am.
And while it’s always been there, I wasn’t drawn to it. Sometimes I am still surprised that this is now my main focus and that I’m so passionate about it.
There are times that I am hard on myself about it. Why did I go through all that schooling and time away to land here, somewhere I could have been all along. But I’ve come to realize that all of my education, experience and time away are exactly what makes this such a great fit.
There are times when I miss feeling powerful by climbing the corporate ladder and being assigned special projects. And then I remember that I have so much to share just by being me, not by achieving or doing things. I can be powerful anywhere because it’s who I am.
Besides, what’s more powerful than a woman stepping into a primarily male industry?
I won’t lie. It was a big transition and a steep learning curve to get used to this life and this work. Many other doubts and worries have come up. It always does when we’re trying something new or leveling up.
In the first few years, not only was I pouring myself into Joey’s Fishing in the summer, I was hustling to build a coaching business for the rest of the year. I wasn’t giving myself a true rest at any time and, eventually, I hit a wall.
Although I knew that my coaching business wasn’t working for me, it took me a long time to give myself permission to walk away from it. I had put a lot into getting my coaching certification and had worked so hard to be known as a coach. I worried what people would think if I stopped but I pushed through that and took a big step back. By letting go of the internal pressure I put on myself, I had space to think about what would work better for me.
This led me to give lobster fishing a try. It’s a much better complement to my tourism schedule and I surprised myself with how much I enjoy doing it.
So now I find myself with a career where I am compressing the majority of my work for the year into 4 months.
On the one hand, having the rest of the year mostly off work is pretty sweet. But, on the other hand, the energy it takes for those 4 months can be brutal. Especially if you don’t have things lined up to support you through it.
Over the past few years I put in the work to find myself and my energy again. Through this process I now have a better understanding of my limits and can recognize and pull back when I need to. I focus on a balance of the following things to keep me grounded:
Movement daily
Packing/planning meals
Getting enough sleep
Time with friends & family
Time alone
Exploring this beautiful island
My days are still long and I’ll definitely be ready for a break when September comes but I’m proud of myself for finding a way to operate a successful tourism business without giving up having a PEI summer of my own.
A career in tourism can be so rewarding. We get to be a part of other people’s vacations and help them make memories. We contribute to the economy here on PEI and help employ thousands of people. And while all those things are amazing, just don’t let the career you choose be what consumes you and keeps you from enjoying this beautiful island of ours!
I encourage my fellow tourism folks to make themselves a priority through this high season!
It’s up to you to create the life you want. What choices can you make today to make that happen?
