Welcome!

Context is important, but I want to get through the monotony of an introduction quickly so we all get to the good stuff.

Why would you listen to me? What am I bringing to the table that is different than the abundance of content that so many talented content creators have already put out there?

I have always had good intuition about people. I am naturally observant and curious. These characteristics have proved to be quite valuable in my chosen profession - talent management, leadership development and employee experience. I have a great passion for what I do and have enjoyed quite a bit of success in a range of leadership roles, various industries and in diverse cultures and perspectives. This variety is what fuels my passion and keeps my interest. I get bored and disengaged when things become too mundane. I like trying to find innovative solutions and building new things. 

The last few years have brought challenges, personally and professionally, that I have not faced before. We all had to find our way through COVID, but along with that I have lived with chronic anxiety and panic attacks, which have been amplified by a number of factors. For the last five years I have lived in Florida, and it has not been a place that I have felt comfortable. My wife and I started a pretty large home renovation that took over two years to complete. I was frustrated professionally. It’s all first world problems, so I’ll stop complaining. You get the gist. 

I found myself lost. Not really knowing who I am any more. Not really knowing who my tribe is. Questioning my career and my future. 

This brings me to this…thing. I am not quite sure what it is yet. I hate to say it is just a blog, or social media content. To me this is so much more. Let me explain.

Who am I personally? Let me start with the fact that I am an introvert to the CORE. I do enjoy talking to people to understand who they are, what they are passionate about and where they are going, but I loathe small talk. After being “on” or having to flex myself, I need significant downtime. I have a small number of really good friends. It’s not that I don’t connect with people, but if I am honest with myself, I begin most interactions with my guard up. It is ironic that I gravitated toward a profession that focuses on people.

Professionally, I have a bachelors degree in Psychology and a masters in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. For the past 18+ years, I have worked in some facet of Human Resources, with most of my experience in the assessment, career management, talent management, engagement/culture and leadership development space. I love what I do. I am endlessly curious and fascinated by human behavior, and how to motivate people to learn, grow and be their best self at work.

As I came to the realization that my most recent job was not a fit for me and I needed to get out, my wife and I began to talk about what was next. A new job? In a new city? - The response we both had was, “Meh. OK. I guess.” I was burnt out. I needed something to recharge me personally that would also help me regain my passion professionally. We talked about dreams and what we REALLY wanted, which all led to the question - What if we cashed out and just took off for a year or so? We love traveling and experiencing new places and cultures. It was a flight of fancy, but the more we talked about it, we both had come to the same realization - There is nothing telling us, “No.” We have no kids, no pets and our view is that you can’t take any material things or comforts with you so why would we wait to do something like this? In November of 2023, we set a plan in motion.

Long story short - we are taking a sabbatical for at least a year to travel the globe. I realized that each experience, each move we made, my passion for people, our shared love of travel - it was leading us to this next stage in our life. Neither of us see this as just an extended vacation. We both crave intellectual stimulation and while we would love to spend the next year sitting on a beach drinking rosé, it is not who we are at the end of the day. That’s where this space comes into play.

This is how I plan to put all of my passion and creativity into something that is uniquely me. If you have read the Home page, you can get an understanding of my inspiration. Beyond The Long Commute theme, the more specific question I am asking is, “How do travel, global experiences and culture play into things like inclusion, leadership, the employee experience and career development?” I am sure that this question will evolve over time. It’s just what got me excited to begin.

There are four words that I will will use to guide me along the way:

• Culture

• Curiosity

• Community

• Connection

I will elaborate on these themes over time. I will post stories, pictures, interviews and so much more. This first post is to start off authentic and begin the building of connection with you as fellow humans. I hope you come along with me and I look forward to the conversations that my posts may elicit. Feel free to contact me via social media and/or email me directly at the address below.

• Instagram - @longcommuteblog

• Email - jeremy@thelongcommute.org 

Thanks for spending your time with me. Cheers to what is to come!

- Jeremy