I'm a 30 year old Exploration Manager.  I've slept in tents in the Canadian Arctic and built heli and drill pads on the steeps of the Rocky Mountains.  I live an adventure.  Lot's of excitement and no two days are ever the same.

But...I have a young family that I have to leave for 30-40 days at a time.  Everytime I get back, the kids have grown and I sometimes feel like a stranger in my own home.  We've done really well for 6 years and the kids have not known another way.  I get laid off every year for weather and I catch up for a couple of months.  I really think I could use some change.

I've always always had a job, even since I was a kid.  Always had a car, truck and/or motorcycle.  I've always been a leader. Student council president, captain of junior golf club, skip of curling team, skate patrol at the arena, played hockey. Not a jock and not too interested in academia but respected in my community for my good attitude, sense of  humour and my work and volunteering.

I have always been able to get a lot out of people.  Some say I'm a natural motivator.  I can find strengths in people that they may not know they had.  I can organize a group that can rise to any occasion.  When I was a younger I used to be a really good snowboard instructor too, maybe those attributes had somehing to do with it.

Eventhough I may not have known it, I've always had unbelievable coaches and mentors.  I was always surrounded by positive people and I had such a great support system.

My work has kept me so far away from those people, I don't know if I'll ever have that again.

Sometimes when you're the one who everyone turns to for support and motivation, people seem to think nothing can hurt you.  Such is not the case...

It hurts me to think that maybe I've alienated some of the most important people in my life and maybe I'll never have those relationships again.  Before I do the same thing to my family and before I start to resent being a go-to guy, I'm going to change a few things about my life.

New job. New friends. Strengthen relationships. Commit to a hobby.