Starting over isn’t a setback, it’s a decision to choose clarity over comfort. I’ve learned that there are seasons when the bravest thing we can do is admit that what once worked no longer serves us. That doesn’t mean we failed, it means we paid attention. The stubborn path drains energy, the honest path restores it.
Courage begins with a clear look at reality. Ask, is this effort still creating momentum, or am I just daydreaming that it will someday click? If the answer leans toward wishful thinking, it might be time to pivot. A thoughtful pivot is not running away, it’s refining direction with new information. Keep what still aligns with your values, release what only consumes your time and spirit, and carry forward the lessons.
I try to treat each restart as an upgrade rather than a reset. Keep the skills that held up under pressure, document what you would do differently, and set a simpler next step you can execute today. Progress loves specificity. One email, one application, one conversation can reopen doors that stubborn effort kept shut.
Most importantly, protect your mindset. Starting over demands humility and hope at the same time, the humility to admit a change is needed, and the hope to believe the next chapter can be better. When doubt shows up, remind yourself that beginnings are meant to feel awkward. Awkward is not a warning sign, it is proof that you are moving.
“There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind,” — C. S. Lewis
Here’s to the pivots that put us back on paths with real potential, to the choices that honor our growth, and to the courage that makes room for a brighter version of our career and life.
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