My story (and why I care about yours)
Everything looked “right” on paper.
I had a prestigious public relations job and I was good at it. So why wasn’t it enough anymore?
On the surface, I had the PR and communications job of my dreams.
National media hits, A-list celebrity spokespeople, work I believed in, and a fully remote position with a competitive salary.
So why wasn’t it enough anymore?
The things that once thrilled me started to feel flat. The stress was constant. The joy became harder to find.
And then there was my book.
I had written a manuscript for a children’s picture book I knew the public needed, but attracting a publisher wasn’t as easy as sending a few perfectly crafted emails. I couldn’t find the energy to bring the project to life the way I wanted to.
Eventually, I realized I was being reactive in my own career story and got back in the director’s chair. I faced my fears and resigned my job to chase my dreams.
Was it terrifying? You bet it was. I’d been with my previous employer for almost 15 years.
This is the part of the narrative where everyone interrupts to find out how it turned out.
“Did you publish the book?”
“Did anyone buy it?”
“Do you miss your old job?”
To skip to the ending is to do us both a grave disservice.
That would be like fast-forwarding through Rocky after the opening to watch the championship fight.
Or like only turning in for the last two minutes of the Big Game.
The journey, with all its inherent struggle, is the best part of every story. It makes success (or failure) hit different.
If you accomplish your quest, you’ve earned the glory.
If you fail—and we all do at some point—you’ll be smarter, stronger and more resilient for your next adventure.
True fulfillment doesn’t come from reaching the destination. Fulfillment comes from aligning your work, your values and your talents with your current calling.
My dream job and the organization I was with didn’t significantly change. My dream did.
As we evolve, so does what we’re called to do.
The hardest part of my book publishing journey wasn’t leaving my familiar “old world.” The hardest part was staying in the new one:
Believing in my abilities and capacity to learn.
Finding the confidence to try again after a failure.
Choosing growth over fear again and again.
Act II—the messy middle—is when I got my mojo back. I felt more “me” than I had in a long time. My work reflected it.
Act III—where I become a bestseller, gave a live interview on national TV, and accepted prestigious state and nationwide honors for my solo PR and marketing campaign—was simply the cherry on top. (But I do love cherries.)
If something’s tugging at you, whether it’s a book, a dream, a promotion, a transition, a value realignment, or something else, I want you to know:
You can be grateful for your job and still yearn for more (or different).
You can be successful and still feel stuck.
You can do brave things even while you're afraid.
I created The Fulfilled Pro because I believe PR pros like us deserve more than success that looks good on paper. You deserve to feel lit up by your work and in your life. The most impactful story you’ll ever tell is your own. If you don’t believe me, poll your family and friends.
Every great story needs a great guide, and that’s what The Fulfilled Pro is. When you’re ready to reclaim fulfillment—whatever that looks like for you—I’m ready to help. Get started with a no pressure, free “mini session” with me to talk it out.
I can’t wait to see where you go from here.
Here’s to choosing growth.
