The 15-minute meeting gave me the push I needed

An alert I wasn't ready for

I was finishing my mid-morning snack when the 15-minute meeting reminder appeared on my screen. I’d completely forgotten about the meeting.

Suddenly, a sharp pang of anxiety crept into my stomach. My heart started racing, and my palms grew uncomfortably warm.

Earlier that morning, I’d gone to the gym and had one of those workouts where you’re focused, present, and pushing yourself to the limit.

You know, when you’re making weird faces to power through the last set because your muscles are shaking, and your brain is begging to move on to the next exercise.

Oops, I’m digressing.

Back to my sweaty palms.

I took a deep breath in. One… two… three… four. Exhale. One… two… three… four… five… six.

The whispering woosh sound escaped my lips. This is my go-to breathing technique when my anxiety starts to creep in.

Maybe I was overreacting. Nah. My gut knew what was coming.

Two seconds of suspense

The moment arrived. I clicked on the Zoom link, and the two seconds it took to connect felt like an eternity.

Then, there he was—a stranger I didn’t recognize. A few moments later, my manager joined. One look at his face, and I knew.

Then the dreaded words came out: “I have some bad news.”

Even though I’d mentally prepared myself for this possibility, the words still stung. My emotions started bubbling to the surface. Tears were building, threatening to spill over.

Thankfully, my manager delivered the bad news and quickly exited the call. Then, it was HR’s turn to walk me through the terms of my lay-off.

I nodded along, pretending to listen, but truthfully, I just wanted the call to end. I was holding it together by a thread, desperate to log off before the tears started flowing.

Finally, the call was over. I closed the meeting window and let it out.

Hot, messy, unstoppable tears.

That cry had been building up for a while. It felt satisfying to release it. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath.

My face was puffy, and my chest ached, but I felt lighter for the first time that day.

The start of a new chapter

That meeting wasn’t just about losing a job. It forced me to face something I’d been putting off for years: the desire to start something of my own.

I’ve always liked writing ever since grade school. After college, I dreamed of writing for Entertainment Weekly, but my career took me into marketing. I mainly worked at conservative financial services and insurance firms.

Over the years, I have tried many different marketing and communications roles. But I always felt something was missing. Over time, I started craving more creativity and control. The idea of using my skills for myself always lingered in the back of my mind.

Then, in March of last year, something changed.

I started noticing people on Instagram turning their experiences and passions into businesses. These weren’t social media experts or influencers. They were regular people, sharing their knowledge and figuring it out as they went.

This revelation stuck with me. If they could do it, why couldn’t I?

I began looking for ways to take control of my creativity. I wanted to combine my writing and marketing skills into something meaningful and profitable.

After months of researching and taking courses, I finally launched my creator account on Instagram in August.

But life got messy when I was laid off last September. Instead of going all in, overwhelm and overthinking took over. My Instagram account sat untouched for months.

Now, I’m ready to start again. This time, I’m not waiting for life to cooperate. I'm pushing through the discomfort.

Turning overwhelm into a fresh start

This blog marks the beginning of a new chapter for me. I'm stepping into the unknown and restarting my side business.

Don’t get me wrong. I know I need to find another corporate job to pay the bills. But I want to find a role that will allow me to write more and be more creative.

I’m determined to approach things differently in 2025 and on my terms. No more holding back.

My intention with this blog is to share with you the ups and downs of my mindset journey, my job hunt as a mid-career marketer, and what it’s like to reimagine who you are and start a side business later in life.

If you’re navigating a significant change, searching for clarity, or just trying to imagine a different path, this space is for you. Let’s see where this goes.