curious about the story
From the Archives
I was laid off in my 20s, 30s and 40s. At least five employers, spanning 15 years of my work experience, executed RIFs. I held different roles in different industries at different stages of my career trying to find a recession-proof job. No such luck. I've watched RIFs go from heart-breaking to standard practice. I have opinions & feelings but I also try not to argue with reality.
a five year milestone
Recently published
April marks five years of my small business. When I started out with freelancing, I felt a million different emotions. I wondered, a lot, if what I was doing was going to fail. I didn’t have many things figured out but I did want something different to help enable a vision I had for myself. And, I had a tiny voice saying “Bet on yourself.”
more powerful than I knew
Unpublished
I was a thorn, though. I asked questions and paid close attention to not only what was said but what was actually happening. I watched client billings and work go from wildly robust to a trickle but the messages stayed positive and the company forged forward with a huge investment in another city.
a confidence project
From the Archives
I had strategized, built and executed advertising and marketing campaigns for years but never with this new set of variables. At that moment, I lacked confidence in myself. Money, time, resources aside, I had to find a project that made sense for this very intangible (increase in my confidence) result that would be foundational to future success.
at any given moment
From the Archives
I knew I was in an unhealthy work culture for me. I walked into a store and found a bracelet with a simple message - 'at any given moment, we have the power to say "this is not how the story is going to end"' - that helped carry me through the next few months. Eventually I used that message to push me into exploring new opportunities for employment.
life’s moments
The Latest Thoughts
These are life moments that happened throughout 2024 captured offline and tossed into a jar to read later. Not everything I've experienced this past year is captured in a photo or video. A lot of what I wrote down wouldn't make sense with a visual. Imagine capturing "4/2 Finished taxes (Gag)"
I changed my mind.
From the Archives
Over the past couple of years, without really knowing it, I have literally changed my mind. Reworked how I've been thinking about everything in my work-life to better suit myself. I've removed drama and friction. I've nearly eliminated unnecessary stressors. Weight-loss for my brain.
how can I get to a YES?
From the Archives
A change I've made that is bringing new, unexpected joy, is to ask myself "How can I get to a YES?" when I'm initially drawn to 'NO.' Change is tough!
ask me. a piece of the story.
The Latest Thoughts
Things were spiraling. It felt like insanity. I remember thinking "Ask me. The person who is doing the work. Ask me. …”
I’m quitting my weaknesses.
Unpublished
Working on my weaknesses takes so much more effort than working on enhancing my strengths. I’ve been questioning why I’ve spent so much energy trying to improve my weaknesses. I’m holding space to acknowledge ‘what I’m not good at’ or ‘what I’m not interested in,’ to challenge the thinking that I need to purposefully put energy into something that is not meant for me.