Have you ever felt like the ground was suddenly being pulled out from under you at work? That everything that was just a moment ago secure was suddenly faltering? That's exactly how I felt – and today I want to share how I learned to let go and, in doing so, opened doors I never thought possible.

This blog post was created following an invitation to the blog parade by Evelyn Wurster, which called for sharing experiences and insights on surviving changes in the job environment.

The sudden upheaval: The dream job that ended

It was the ultimate dream job: exciting projects, creative challenges, and the feeling of doing something truly meaningful. In short, I was on PR heaven—until the temporary contract abruptly brought me back down to earth. The contract wasn't renewed, and suddenly I felt like someone had taken away my parachute while I was freefalling.

The fear of the unknown

The fear of the unknown is like a wall of fog – you don't know what's lurking behind it, and every step forward feels like jumping into cold water. That's exactly how I felt: My existential anxiety was immense, and the future seemed incredibly foggy. But as the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens – even if you sometimes only notice it in the rearview mirror.

During this phase, my boss at the time said something I found hard to swallow: "One door has to close before others can open. You have to make room for something new." These words burned themselves into my memory, but it took a while for me to truly understand and accept them.

When I learned to let go…

At first, letting go felt like trying to lift an anchor that was stuck deep in the ground. But when I finally let go of the fear, I began to see the possibilities that lay before me. Simone de Beauvoir said it aptly: “Change is the process by which the future enters our lives.” With this thought in mind, I began to set sail and let new winds flow into my professional life.

I decided to focus entirely on my coaching assignments. It was a leap into the deep end, but also a chance to further develop my skills and discover new possibilities. And indeed, the more I got involved, the more doors opened. It was as if letting go of the old created the space I needed to truly take off.

Mental tools: How I regained control

During this stormy period, I reached for my mental tools as if I were fixing a broken bike in the rain. Here are the three tools that helped me weather the storm and get back on track:

Acceptance: Letting go is like untangle a headphone cable – it takes patience, but once you've done it, you'll feel much lighter.

Focusing: Instead of dwelling on the past, I focused on what I could control. Focus became my compass through the fog.

Self-care: And of course, fun was a must: jogging and quirky dance classes at the gym were my personal joker to relieve stress and reactivate my “happy brain.”

What I learned

Today, when I look back, I'm almost grateful that my contract wasn't renewed. I never would have imagined that the end of a chapter could mean the beginning of such an exciting new book. My advice? Don't be afraid of the unknown—sometimes it's the best adventure that can happen to us.

Now you!

And what about you? How have you navigated the storms in your job? Share your stories in the comments – let's learn from and inspire each other!