SAY “It's important to follow my passion.”

“Shifting out of this rigorous program into a more aligned lifestyle”

“My body is changing, my lungs are opening up, feeling the freedom and safety to live and take on new projects.”

“I recently identified with myself as someone who is not in grad school”

“The way I responded [to the extreme workload] was to get very focused, hold my breath, detach from my emotional self and it became more about ‘doing’.”

“I have permission to be passionate and inspired, no longer so rigid, more in my body.”

“I have more internal permission, social and community permission, to be more of who I am.”

“I’ve been mourning and grieving the loss; I invested time and money and energy and put myself out there, then dropped out.”

“I would have leveraged the stability and put down some foundational work. It would be cool not to feel so flustered now. “

“I would fully research the options and lay foundation so it’s a bit easier to transition”

“If I’m feeling passionate about writing my business plan, then I will do that”

EMPATHY MAP

Think & Feel

Intrepid

Confident

Seeking clarity and assurance

Craving foundational structure

Committed

Passionate

Relaxed and relieved Free and fully expressed

Desiring security of a defined path

Bright, passionate and driven, recent dropout of a Chinese Medicine grad program, entrepreneurial and taking the leap, eager in seeking authenticity and full expression of her being.

STAKEHOLDER needs a way to create foundational stability BECAUSE work life of an entrepreneur is much less structured than a grad program.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

InsightsWhile the transition from an intensive education can be a great relief, it also can induce a sense of anxiety in it’s absence of stability and structure.

Providing a helpful structure and/or foundation could facilitate a more successful transition from school to work.

EMPATHY MAP