Lessons from a Fortune Cookie

Every now and then I find a great statement that really inspires me inside one of those crispy little fortune cookies. When I do, I keep them in the little zippered pouch in my wallet until I have time to tape them onto my refrigerator so they stay fresh in my mind. One of the fortunes that has been helping me out over the last few weeks is:

Never stop. One always stops as soon as something is about to happen.

I can't say that I've been waiting for the right opportunity to come along, because that would imply that I've been sitting on my butt expecting employers to knock on my door, bearing gifts, and inviting me to join the ranks of their company.

No, I have not been waiting at all. I've been hitting the pavement, scheduling business lunches, joining groups, writing blogs, connecting with others via social media, scouring websites and job sites and articles about both established and up-and-coming publishing organizations. I've revised my resume, built an online presence, kept in touch with former employers and clients,  and written countless thoughtful and well-articulated cover letters.

Alas, the perfect job offer has not come my way...yet. The trickiest part about landing the right career is that it rarely comes easy. If you're sitting at home waiting for your new boss to show up, it's incredibly unlikely that you are ever going to meet. 

I must admit that it can be a bit disheartening to put so much time, energy, creativity and passion into a job search and come up empty handed– but that is by no means an excuse to give up. When you are determined to do something, to be something, or to say something, you simply keep pushing yourself until you've accomplished that aspiration.  If what you've done this far isn't working, try a new approach, learn a new skill, and keep working towards that end goal.

It always helps to have a strong supporter in your corner, and I'm blessed to have a fiance` who can always see the bright side of everything, and who has reminded me that in the past year I have:

1) Taken a HUGE risk in giving up my tenured, high-seniority position for a life passion.
2) Earned a scholarship to a creative writing program in Tuscany, where I wrote the full draft of a children's book for my nephew and created the illustrations for it.
3) Found a super part-time job to help me in my transition, and that bridged my love for teaching and for cooking by becoming a children's culinary school instructor. It was fun, it supported my local community, and helped me rekindle a passion for cooking that had been dormant for a while.
4) I took my first official step into the publishing world by working part-time at my local Barnes & Noble as a children's bookseller.
5) I landed an internship at a literary agency, and built a good initial understanding of the agency side of the industry, and honed my developmental editorial skills.
6) I started my own small business helping literary professionals with everything from editing their novels, to writing and launching social media campaigns and more.

And these are only the tangible acts I can put down on paper, it doesn't include the reading, the research, the networking etc. So, while at the moment it may feel like I'm treading water, I've really done a lot.

Next time you're feeling down, or like you're just never going to get a break, make a list of your accomplishments, and then flip that page over and make a list of small steps you can take to get you where you want to be. Then just start checking them off!

Best,
~Michelle In Turn