The Pause Between Chapters

So, some pretty big news. After over 8 years with the same company, I've accepted a new position and am preparing for a significant life change. For nearly a decade, I've poured time, energy, creativity, and more than a little sweat equity into my role. Along the way, I had the privilege of helping build something meaningful and, more importantly, building relationships with wonderful people. The team we've developed is strong, capable, and firing on all cylinders.

Walking away from that is not easy. I'm sad. And I'm excited. I'm grateful. And I'm nervous. I'm looking backward. And forward. At the same time.

Coming to the realization that I wasn't entirely happy where I was took time. It wasn't sudden, no dramatic moment.  It was more of a gradual realization that came to be as I reflected on my happiness and what I wanted in life. The opportunity that emerged was one I couldn't ignore. It's in a new industry for me, with a role similar to what I've done before, but with a broader global scope. Ironically, I'll be leaving a job that was just two miles from my house, for one with a 90-minute commute. Yikes! Some opportunities ask us to think beyond convenience, right? I start right after Labor Day, which means this week I've been gifted something unexpected:

A pause.

Now, before you imagine serene mornings spent meditating by a window, that's a no. This pause is currently filled with errands. As I'm writing this, I've added three more things to my to-do list. Yes, "new car" is on the to do list for that commute. But alongside all the tasks and loose ends, I'm intentionally creating a pause list. The pause list includes things like getting a massage and a facial. Journaling. Writing a letter to my aunt in Italy. Sleeping in a little later than usual. Treating myself to a guilty-pleasure breakfast. And of course, reading. The to-do list may be long. But the pause list deserves equal attention. I don't want to just check off boxes on the list before the new gig starts.  I want to give myself space to process a major life transition. Transitions deserve attention. I don't want to move from one chapter directly into the next without acknowledging the page turn.

I'm going to allow myself to feel the gratitude for the people, experiences, and lessons I'm leaving behind. I'm also allowing myself to feel genuine excitement for the opportunities ahead. This change arrives during a point in my life that feels unexpectedly right. My children are becoming adults. They're exploring their own paths and, as every parent eventually experiences, they need me a little less than they once did. While that's bittersweet, it has also created space and time. Space for new challenges. Time for growth. Many people my age are looking for ways to slow down. I seem to be doing the opposite. For me, it's not about chasing change for the sake of change. It's about recognizing an opportunity, trusting my instincts, and giving myself permission to evolve.

So I'm proceeding cautiously. Gently. Thoughtfully. But I'm proceeding.

The errands will get done. The books will get read. The massage will happen. The letter to Italy will be written. The car, maybe. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, I'll make room for gratitude, excitement, uncertainty, and possibility. Because while I don't know everything that lies ahead, I know this:

I'm ready to turn the page.

Because you deserve more than just a break.