Who am I, and what do I want to do with my life?

That is a question we have probably all asked ourselves at one time or another. 

For me, up until a few years ago, that question never really crossed my mind. I was busy living a good life and enjoying a successful career in a highly competitive field. Then, March 2020 came, and the pandemic rocked my world, as it did for so many. Due to an autoimmune disease, I was sidelined in my work, and what I hoped would be only a few weeks turned into a very different situation.

Suddenly there was an infinite amount of hours at my fingertips. I always have something to keep me busy, but this felt different, and I couldn’t focus. There was uncertainty about what would happen, and I was slightly anxious, wondering when my life would return to normal.

I remember the moment when my artist friend prompted me to start writing the book that, for years, I had joked about writing. This was the best nudge I could have gotten. I just dove in and started. I found myself spending eight hours a day writing. My friend was at her house painting all day, and I would call and read chapters to her for feedback, or we would brainstorm ideas and twists in the story. What a great way to pass the time!

But as the clock ticked, I was aware that the time remaining in my career was dwindling, and I was still sidelined. I had some big questions looming ahead of me that needed answering.

Analyzing my circumstances, I suddenly realized I was incredibly happy. Yes, I still had some anxiety over how and when I could return to my work, but I was finding that I was increasingly more happy writing. I worked on my laptop while my dog Abby would lay next to me on the couch, and the coffee bar in our house was a mere twenty feet away—and it really didn’t matter how many cups a day I had! Hmmm, not so bad.

The result of that time was not only two books written but, more importantly, a re-evaluation of what I want to do with my life. It took a little while, but I concluded that I was, in fact, ready to make the transition and start a new chapter as a writer.

I am currently making this transition. I’m still working in my profession, but only part-time, and I have an exit strategy for when I will close that chapter. I have no idea where this new chapter will take me, but I do know that I’m loving the journey!