We’ve All Done It!
Every one of us has reinvented ourselves . . . and most times we don’t even realize it.
But in today’s environment, many of us are doing just that simply because we have to.
Think about it . . .
Whenever you change jobs . . .
Whenever you move to a new neighborhood . . .
Whenever you’ve changed anything in your life, you’ve reinvented yourself at some level, including something as small as a new hairstyle or as large as a new wardrobe. (Don’t we all wish!)
Not to mention the changes we have no control over.
There are a multitude of changes in our lives that cause us to reinvent ourselves. Today’s issues are most obvious.
But reinventing ourselves seems, most times, to end up placing us in a better position than we previously were.
But it isn’t always easy. In fact, it can be downright difficult . . . frustrating . . . scary, even.
And it doesn’t seem to matter whether the change is one we chose for ourselves or if it was something that was inflicted on us for any number of reasons. Either way it’s almost always trying.
But anyone who’s had to make such a drastic change in their lives would tell you how nerve-wrecking it was . . . and how it affected their lives during the transition.
For some, it drained them financially . . . for others it was a stressful, emotionally draining period in their lives.
But for others who were able to plan ahead for such a future time, they came through it with no worries and were actually able to relax until the new “them” emerged.
Help From Others Who’ve Been There
In fact, reinventing ourselves is so common that countless self-help books, blogs, and videos have been created to help guide people through it.
Books like “Reinventing Yourself” by Steve Chandler . . .
Blogs like “Six Steps For Reinventing Yourself And For Upgrading Your Life” by Adam Sicinski . . .
and Videos like “How To Reinvent Yourself in 2020” by Nathaniel Drew
Then there are organizations . . . businesses . . . that have found a need to reinvent itself, too.
There’s a book for businesses written by Mark W. Johnson, Clayton M. Christensen, and Henning Kagermann called “Reinventing Your Business Model.”
But this blog is meant to address the individuals . . . the people, who feel a change coming or who simply feel the need to make a change for themselves.
Personally, I have reinvented myself repeatedly throughout my life. It’s not always easy to stop one path and pick up an entirely new and different one, but it can be done . . . and I’m living proof!
But I’m not the only one.
If you think about your own lives and the things you’ve experienced . . .
the changes you chose . . . and those that were forced on you for whatever reason . . .
you’ll see how you reinvented yourselves over the years. You might even be able to pin it down to a specific cycle, as I did.
Is There A Pattern?
For me, it seemed that things changed roughly every seven years.
That was a real eye-opener!
The only problem I had with identifying the cycle was that I came to expect certain things to change every seven years. The ones that had always required a decision from me were no longer spontaneous and so the decision to make a change didn’t happen.
The ones that were in someone else’s hands worked out the way they always had . . . out of my control and me worrying about the next step, while I tried to handle matters myself.
Most recently, my “out-of-my-own-hands” experience came when I was laid off from work, then shortly after that had to file for disability.
You see, I have been living with multiple sclerosis since 1994, but I’ve been getting by . . . still making it all happen. I was even blessed to have been in remission for 15 years, which my neurologist said is unheard of. But it happened to me.
However, when it returned it was more painful than anything I’d been through . . . hence, filing for disability.
Now, thankfully, it’s tentatively under some type of control, but the residual effects linger . . . that won’t change, now.
But I can’t sit around doing nothing, so I started my own copywriting business . . .
and started another book . . .
and started blogging here and there.
I’m not alone, though.
So many others I’ve met became copywriters for all types of reasons. Most of them experienced the mundane jobs, company politics, feeling like they needed something more out of life.
And like the rest of us, they didn’t think they had another choice. After all, they’d been in the same jobs for years, with benefits . . . like insurance and 401k plans.
But they weren’t happy . . . . or they kept getting laid off . . . . or the company moved . . .
And on . . . and on . . . and on . . .
In my own case, I first started out in retail sales selling clothes for tall women, then became a teller for a local bank and was repeatedly promoted until I ended up working there for 17 years . . . including a transfer to New England . . . but that eventually ended leaving me job-hopping . . . .until I eventually went a few years without a job at all!
None of these changes stopped me from reinventing myself as often as I needed to. I didn’t really have a choice, if I wanted to survive and be a contributing member of my family and society.
My Saving Grace
Throughout all the jobs I had there were a few constants in my life besides my husband and family.
First were the books I wrote and published.
Second was the fact that I had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1994.
I continued to work in the marketing and financial services industries . . . . but the multiple sclerosis eventually stopped me.
Since I’ve never been one to sit around and not work, I was in a dilemma. I didn’t know what I could do from home.
Then copywriting showed up in my life and I dove into it with a passion.
Finally . . . a job I could do from home and still have time to write my books . . . especially since I had already started my eighth one.
Finally . . . a job that allowed me to be myself and be there for my family!
For those of us who just love to write, copywriting is a profession . . . or side gig . . . to look into.
But there are many other options available in the world. It all depends in what you’re passionate about . . . what you truly love to do.
Dig down deep and “see” what you truly want. It might even be a promotion at the same company you’ve been working at for years! If you’re happy there, then go for the promotion without reservations. Take the courses you need, buy the right clothes, get that new hair cut . . .
Then get ready to reinvent yourself for the last time!!
Or not . . .
P.S. For any of you who are dealing with this same period in your lives, I’m more than willing to talk about it with you.
Just drop a line in the comments box and let’s chat!