A Career Loss Can Be The Best Thing That Ever Happens To You

“I never lose. I either win or learn.” Nelson Mandela

I attended my first Women of Influence event on February 28 which featured Marci Ien, decorated broadcast journalist. She candidly spoke about her recent career transition. After working as a co-host on Canada AM for nearly 13 years, on June 2, 2016 she was told the show was ending. The next day they taped the last show.

It was abrupt, emotional and unexpected. Marci was in a state of shock. Although, she was reassigned to a new role, the feeling of loss was real.

Here are three things Marci shared about how to cope after an unexpected career loss:

1. Take care of yourself. After any big change, you go through a mourning period. Embrace the change and mourn your loss. This will enable you to move on. Journaling really helped Marci express and acknowledge her feelings. She also took a much needed break to heal and recalibrate.
2. Find your dash. According to Marci’s dad, your dash is that special something that makes you light up every time you do it. It motivates you and warms your heart. Marci was so focused on her job, she didn’t have time to tackle projects that she was interested in. Once that job was no longer there, she dedicated her time to exploring and reigniting those passions.
3. Protect and connect with your circle. Her friends and family gave Marci a lot of strength and guidance through this time. She made a concerted effort to reach out to those she wanted to build better relationships with. She also took the time to reach out to new contacts who inspired her and modeled the life she wanted to live.

After a few short months, Marci ended up finding an opportunity to become a co-host on the Social which is one of CTV’s most popular daytime shows. What seemed to be a negative event for Marci’s career actually evolved into a great growth opportunity.

Everyone has or will go through a transitional period in their career. Remember, it’s only short-term. If you remain positive, know what you want and work for it, opportunities will arise. Keep plugging away.