Starting Over: How to Reinvent Yourself and Find Purpose

Original Photo by Julian Jagtenberg

For nearly 20 years, I played by the rules of corporate America. I climbed the ladder, excelled in my field, and did everything I was “supposed” to do. But somewhere along the way, I lost something. I lost me.

Now, I’m on the hardest—and most rewarding—journey of my life: reinventing myself. I walked away from the familiar, back to school to earn my AFAA certification, training my body to become a fitness instructor, and stepping into an entirely new chapter. It’s exhausting, terrifying, exhilarating, and absolutely worth every struggle.

Why Reinventing Yourself Feels Impossible

Reinvention isn’t a neatly packaged self-help concept—it’s a raw, messy, and uncomfortable process. It’s the feeling of being completely untethered, standing at the edge of who you were, with no guarantee of what’s next. It means undoing years of conditioning, challenging everything you thought you knew, and taking on the brutal work of starting over.

It feels impossible because:

• You’re breaking habits built over decades. My body and mind were used to corporate structure, not fitness training. Shifting from boardrooms to push-ups felt like an identity crisis.

• You have to battle self-doubt. Every day, I questioned whether I was “too old” to start something new, whether I could actually do it.

• The people around you don’t always get it. Change makes others uncomfortable. When you start breaking free, expect resistance.

• It’s exhausting. There are days I feel like I have nothing left. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, reinvention pushes you past your limits.

But Here’s Why It’s Worth It

Somewhere between the exhaustion and self-doubt, something incredible happens.

You start to catch glimpses of the person you forgot you were. The version of you that existed before expectations, before society told you who to be. That version? She’s still in there. And with every push, every challenge, every moment you choose not to quit—you get closer to her.

Reinvention is worth it because:

• You get to rediscover yourself. I missed me. And now, every day, I’m getting to know her again.

• You meet new, incredible people. The friendships I’m forming on this journey are deeper, more aligned, and filled with mutual inspiration.

• Your vision gets clearer. I may not be “there” yet, but every day, my goal sharpens into focus.

• You prove to yourself that you are capable of anything. Reinvention is hard—but nothing compares to the pride of knowing you made it through.

If You’re Thinking About Reinventing Yourself…

Do it. Do it scared. Do it messy. Do it exhausted. Just do it.

You will have days when you want to give up. Days when you feel like you’ve made a mistake. Days when going back to what’s safe feels tempting. But don’t—because on the other side of this struggle is the version of you that’s been waiting to come back to life.

The hardest thing is also the most beautiful: You are not the same person you were yesterday. And every step forward, no matter how small, is proof that you are becoming exactly who you were meant to be.

Welcome back, you.