Creating a new me

After a year of transitions- marriage, unemployment and a shorter hair cut- I decided this would be the year I blossomed into my re-invented self.

I aimed to transform into some social media savvy, freelancing rock star. I know what you might be thinking. Arley, aren’t you already a social media savvy, freelancing rock star? Well, not quite. Or at least I don’t feel like it most days.

Every professional development workshop I’ve been to (and trust me I’ve been to lots the past few years) talks about how important it is to reinvent oneself during this age of digital media and the ongoing recession. So, over the past several months I have set out to reinvent myself. I had trouble deciding what “brand” of Arley I wanted to debut.

With each new genre that I tried out, I discovered something new about myself. During the summer I explored Bohemian Arley. I rode my bike everywhere, wore my Chacos every day and I made tie-dyes.

In the fall I transitioned into Homemaker Arley. I made breakfast for Logan before he left for work, I cooked dinner from scratch and I scapbooked in my free time. And I somehow managed to do it all without vomitting.

Professionally, I’ve tried to make myself a journalist who has mastered the world of online media and 140-character news feeds. But the truth is I haven’t, not completely. My preference will probably always lean toward printed media. And the thrill of being out in the community covering a story will always be more exciting than sitting behind my desk Tweeting the story after it was written.

The more I think about my attempted reinvention, the less I see it as a new invention of myself and the more I see it as the natural progression from one phase of life into another.

The experts at career workshops tell you to reinvent yourself, but I say don’t reinvent the wheel. Instead focus on the traits and passions that are at your core and let those attributes adapt to your current landscape. This evolution won’t occur overnight and it might not even happen before you send out your next resume. But the change will be genuine.

So, I guess you could say I’ve given up on the re-invention of me. For now I’m just Arley.