Pivoting Is Kinda Like An Unpaid Internship

How Did We Get Here If you’ve had the pleasure of being an adult you’ve probably had to pivot in your life more than once.

It’s not fun. Oftentimes, it’s not an intentional decision that you welcome with open arms. It can feel like fifty pounds on your back while on the stair master, then survival instincts kicks in and…

You know you gotta do what you gotta do.

As of late, many of us are making big pivots in life and career.

Moving to a new city

A new career or new industry

A shift in strategy

Embracing or letting go of your faith

Or trying something new for your own happiness

I consider pivoting a life or death situation. Because if you don’t move or open yourself up for change…you could die.

Not like die die. The proverbial death of what’s possible or what might have been.

Pivoting to me is bravery. You’re betting on yourself. You are even hopeful for the future. And this goes without saying…it’s scary AF!

Story Time

As y’all know, I started my career in television at E! and CNN as an entertainment producer.

I covered premieres, award shows, and spent countless weekends at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills interviewing A-list celebs about their latest films. Also, gorging myself on the Four Seasons heavenly delicious chocolate chip cookies. A must try but I digress.

That was my life for a long time. One day a colleague suggested I take a job at Yahoo! Hmmm, girl what!

Yahoo! I didn’t know anything about websites and creating content. I was already killin’ it in TV. I was nervous and on sure. Television at the time was safe and I had all my professional relationships that kept me booked and busy.

It was risky to try something new. The world was shifting in real time and more and more online content producer jobs were popping up.

In hindsight, It was really the perfect time to pivot and move my skills into another area of the industry. But at the time…le sigh.

I took the contract job at Yahoo! a content producer. I wrote and produced celebrity and wellness fitness content for Yahoo! front page. Story for another day.

After several long days and nights, learning to write and edit images for websites, believe me I cursed the day I pivoted into the world of online media lol.

Here’s the thing about pivoting especially if you’re not in your 20s…

It almost always Sucks. Yep I said it. Everyone will tell you things will be better on the other side of the pivot, but while you’re in it, Dear God baby Jesus!!!

If you’re in between life chapters like me, and a pivot is necessary or maybe it’s not by choice. Start here.

BELIEVE THESE 10 TRUTHS

Consider this life’s pivot a 1-year paid/unpaid internship

My life will be completely different a year from now

The first year is the hardest but I can do hard things

I’m learning and trying something new, so it will be hard

Starting over doesn’t mean I’m a loser

Stop comparing yourself to others, Say this…This is my life and my life only

Leave room to fail because you will. Keep going anyway

My experience and skills are valuable. This internship will only make me invaluable

Stick to the facts but lean into the wonder and whimsy about the what’s possible