One of the things I’ve missed most over these last two years of the pandemic has been the ability to travel. Of course, I value health and safety more, but as an avid traveler, I’ve longed to get out and explore anything, anywhere. I have had to learn to adapt to losing travel temporarily and find new ways to “explore” within the confines of my own home. This mindset has put me on a path of new learning, new experiences, and oh-so-much growth. Perhaps the most crucial lesson I learned about adaptation was when I found my career shifting (after pandemic layoffs) from being a full-time college educator to a freelance writer.
The Layover
Losing my job was painful, but it allowed me to see my options more clearly, without always gazing at life through the lens of, “Oh, but I can’t do that…I’d have to quit my great job.” When the job disappeared, new opportunities arose. My writing “hobby” took a front seat.
I’ve been writing in personal and professional capacities for over 20 years, but have never given my writing the time and attention it needed to expand. Losing my job gave me nothing but time, especially when under the confines of lockdown. I learned to adapt my mindset about my writing to give it center stage. I now write every day, have been published in books and magazines, and what was a thing I did in my free time has become my full time job.
The Journey
The experience of creating my business has been its own journey. A long, often uphill, and sometimes bumpy one, but an adventure nonetheless. I appreciate a good challenge, my need to keep learning is innate, and I really miss the unexpected delights that travel brings, so this has been the trip for me!
Writing is an act of travel and of adaptation. The journey comes with exploring language, trying new forms, and committing to the process, no matter how challenging; adaptation is required to keep the journey going.
Currently, I enjoy writing about lifestyle topics like travel, relationships, and mental health, but I also enjoy the business side of writing, whether it be creating blog posts for small businesses, writing curriculum and course content for educational institutions, or providing proofreading and editing services. Rather than focusing on a specific niche, I prefer to show variety and range.
Next Stop
The plan is to keep adapting, which means writing, writing, and more writing. I look forward to adding content to my blog, publishing more on Medium and continuing to publish articles in magazines and journals. I’m also excited about growing my business and look forward to sharing those successes here.
I have taken solo trips before. Exploring unknown places alone can be exhilarating, but I love a good travel companion: someone who witnesses your journey, but also contributes to it and reminds you of it later. That’s how I see this blog – a new oddysey, but one done with old friends and new companions met along the way.
Here’s to new destinations and the adventures that come with the journey!