I had made up my mind to leave. Then I made a mistake: I took the counteroffer. The fact that I had erred on the side of caution hit me like a ton of bricks the second I said yes. But it was going to be easy now. I was joining a promising new team with exciting opportunities peering over the horizon. I was drowning, and here was my lifeline.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire…
Twice.
Whatever life I had envisioned for myself was not my reality. Far from it. I had to break away, but leaving was not enough anymore. I needed a clean break and a fresh start. So I moved to a different continent, deviated from my career path by way of an MBA, and began to write a new chapter of my life, one wholly unrelated to anything that had come before.
Well, the road rolled out like a welcome mat to a better place than the one I was at…
Along the way, I let go of my failures and regrets, my insecurities and adolescent fears. To the point where I embraced uncertainty as an exciting adventure I just needed to be a part of. There is a promise of undiscovered opportunities, hidden possibilities, and the danger of a life worth living. Oh, what dreams may come…
Not many, as it turned out. That chapter that had begun on such a burning note ended right back where it started from – nowhere I wanted to be. Chile. The one place capable of putting out my fire. Life’s crooked sense of humor has forced my hand into writing a Greek comedy (though I haven’t ruled out the possibility of it being a tragedy quite just yet).
But every time my heart breaks, something comes along that brings it back to life. Only three months after dragging my feet back to the country I swore I’d never return to, I found a job. I thought it would be at least six months of searching, but I was quickly offered a position that seemed to be built from everything I declared I had been looking for.
I started my blog talking about Wide Open Spaces, speaking of the world I had rediscovered. And as the world around me shrinks to the size of Chile, my own professional development finds itself in the midst of limitless possibilities. I finally feel like I have room to grow and put my talents to the test, envision a new reality, and do what no one else has dared to let me do.
So once again, I’m starting over. Not with the thrill of forays into new territories, but fueled by the energy of newfound purpose. It’s a different kind of expedition, one that I have only ever glimpsed in other workspaces. With a seat at the table, a voice in decision-making, and the support of a magnetic global team, it’s not a new chapter I’m writing – it’s a new book.
I once told a friend how unappealing the idea of starting over was to me. I didn’t want to do it anymore, the mere idea of it took the air right out of my lungs, it was draining and debilitating. Better the devil you know, right? Wrong. I take it back, Manu, I take it all back. Give me every new beginning you have to offer. Make my heart beat and race and feel again.
My life is far from what I ever hoped it would be. It has been so much less. It has been so much more. It has stagnated and it has flourished. It has led me far from the places I’ve wanted to be, and driven me to places I never imagined I’d experience. It’s a rough and ruined road, and it’s worth every mile. What I have learned…
There's nothing like starting over.