Losing My Career, Finding Myself
From the age of 17, I have worked full-time. I went straight from high school to the workforce with the intention of going to college after a year off but I never did, and I’ve been working ever since.
We all know that no matter how our life is going, that one moment can change all of it. It can completely throw your life as you know it off its axis and leave you feeling whiplashed.
This was my experience in January 2024. At the age of 41 I was let go of the job I had dedicated 14 years of my life to. It wasn’t just a career loss, but an Identity shift and I felt lost.
For months I looked for jobs and I quickly learned that the landscape of job hunting was entirely different, and I was gaining no traction. None. This was quickly becoming a feeling of failure and I knew I had to put in effort to consciously remind myself that I am strong, capable and smart. Otherwise, my mental health was going to suffer greatly
Amidst the uncertainty, I knew I had to find ways to ground myself, to reconnect with the things that make me feel like me. Creativity has always been my outlet. Creating art or even simply coloring, writing poetry, storytelling, creating social media reels or gardening, I find joy in making things. So, I leaned into that. I decided I would start learning embroidery to keep my hands busy and off my phone. I borrowed a guitar and dusted off my dream of learning to play music. I began slowly teaching myself, one chord at a time.
I made a conscious effort to feed my mind and soul. Trips to the library became a regular escape, where I immersed myself in history books that piqued my curiosity. I dove deep into my personal faith to find peace, and ended up getting into a deep study of its history and practices.
I now make sure to move my body more –going for walks, doing yoga or even dancing in the kitchen all proved good for my mental health and I try to get some sunshine every day.
This season of life has been a learning experience, challenging me in ways I never expected. It tested my resilience, and at times, left me feeling frustrated. But in the midst of the uncertainty, it has also been a chance to reconnect with the innermost core parts of me which were lost somewhere along the path of adulthood.
I am realizing that my worth was never tied to a job title or a career path. I am so much more than the roles I have played. I am an artist, a writer, a woodworker, an embroiderer, a student of guitar and history. I am a lifelong student of the world, embracing growth in every form it takes.
2024 didn’t go the way I had planned, and as 2025 ramps up I am still not working, but I refuse to let it define me in a way that diminishes my light. Instead, I am using it as a catalyst—to evolve, to explore, to rediscover parts of myself I may have neglected along the way. There is still so much ahead of me, and I plan to shine.
