Jennifer Balink

Reroute.

Seven years ago this week, when I turned 50, I was on the brink of breaking free and launching into the career I’d been waiting for. I’d worked hard, set my sights, and was ready, finally, to (in the lingo of that year) lean in.

The company I worked for had been through a merger, and I was an insider. Things looked good.

Only I lined up the wrong allies, didn’t read the tea leaves correctly.

When you have someone pulling on your behalf, your momentum increases. Unless someone more powerful, with more leverage, is actively pushing against you. I was counting on that first sentence, unprepared for the second one.

It was awful. And fantastic. Certainly the best terrible event of my entire career.

And I’m going to tell that story, but I’ve run out of time today, because I enjoyed celebrating my birthday.

So the teaser is the worksheet I promised. That will have to do until tomorrow.

Framing the Story worksheetsDownload

About this series:

For the month of August, as a birthday present to myself, I’m doing another daily writing challenge. This year, not unlike last year, it’s all about RE-committing to writing. So far that includes: Reengage, Reconsider, Reassess, Review, Redefine, Relish, Relay, Reinvent, and Reevaluate.

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  3. […] For the month of August, as a birthday present to myself, I’m doing another daily writing challenge. This year, not unlike last year, it’s all about RE-committing to writing. So far that includes: Reengage, Reconsider, Reassess, Review, Redefine, Relish, Relay, Reinvent, Reevaluate, and Reroute. […]

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