Starting Over Can Be Tough (But So Fun and Rewarding!)

By Lois Tuffin

In 2018, I left a job I had loved and that had defined me for 15 years. Walking away from the newsroom at Peterborough This Week was bittersweet. I loved my newsroom team but the writing on the wall told me that changes that were coming would not line up with my core values.

It was time to start over.

Coincidentally, I had been raising money and the public profile of several charities over the previous 20-plus years and had developed many skills in those areas. That led to a new chapter as a professional fundraiser, which I loved. However, some great things in life don’t last.

I bounced again and I recovered.

Within an hour of leaving my fundraising job in March 2020, I was on the phone networking with friends and non-profit groups. Two days later, I attended a day of training with the Chamber of Commerce to introduce myself as a self-employed communications strategist and community developer.

Three years later, I haven’t looked back.

Sure, I’ve been tempted to apply for ‘safe’ jobs, but when organizations found a better fit, I kept chugging along. During this time, I’ve seen others paralyzed by doubt when they have started anew.

It can be scary. It can also be invigorating.

Photo by JBurson / Pixabay.com

Finding your new path

Countless people have tapped into their real interests and desires in recent years as the world shifted. They have examined what they do and how they see themselves. At times, people I know have walked away from the lives they knew or pivoted to only focus on what brings them joy and satisfaction.

Others have despaired about the loss of their beloved routine. No matter how much the universe shows them that they need to evolve, they simply are not ready.

Your self-image not only communicates the story you tell yourself, but it also gives others a sense of how open and resilient you are. Even when you don’t feel that energy, you can project the illusion of what you want to achieve until your confidence catches up.

We all have days when we feel like we are struggling to live up to our potential. However, by bravely facing forward and keeping a positive momentum, you can ride out the waves of change until you find your footing again.

If you need a lifeguard on the journey, reach out to someone who has been there. I’ve had to reinvent myself a few times and each version becomes better and better. You can find that same rebirth too once you start to tell yourself and the world that you can do it.