When you need to get back in the game

Hi everyone -

At the end of July, I needed a break. I took my own advice to set boundaries and took a time out after writing Corporate Safari for 3 1/2 years. While being sent home from the office in March 2020 was the impetus, my desire to write and guide others trying to navigate the workplace was my main motivation.

I wanted to see how it felt not to write every week about this topic. Had my ideas run out? Did my motivation fizzle out? Had my blog come to an end?

Instead of making a final blog-ending decision, I decided to not hit the “stop” button but the “pause” button. Too often, we make tough decisions in the moment because we are frustrated, overwhelmed, emotional, or burnt out. Sometimes, we might want to stop but we should simply pause instead.

A pause can be in the form of a walk, a hike, meditation, laundry, gardening, a vacation, a sabbatical, shopping (my fav), or even just a “bye for now” hiatus. So, I took my hiatus to reset and explore what I wanted to do going forward.

I have received nothing but support and encouragement from many of you and others in my network. I have appreciated all of your well-wishes and thoughts.

As we are rolling into the holiday season (yeah…the busiest, most hectic, and most wonderful time of the year), I have decided this is a great time to restart. I could have waited until January, but many of you know I don’t believe in resolutions but in good habits. Habits can form at any time when we are ready to take the next step, and I am ready.

I have been in my timeout for a little more than 3 months, and during these months I realized how much I enjoy writing this blog. The workplace is changing every day and how do middle managers keep up? What can we do as managers to survive and even thrive? What can organizations do to support us?

These are questions I want to explore and share what I know, what I learn, and what I think we need to institute and practice to be successful, engaged, and content.

One day (if not today), AI may replace my blog (and me!). But, I am pretty sure AI won’t have my personal stories or personality. Well, it may develop a personality, but I might be retired by then.

Starting on November 19, you can expect a refreshed, bi-weekly blog from me called: Succeed from the Middle. Corporate Safari served me well, but it is time to move on and focus where I am most passionate — on the middle.

This blog will match the spirit of my book by the same name and will focus on helping middle managers navigate what is truly an unprecedented, complicated, and challenging workplace today.

So, for now, stay subscribed, share this with others who may benefit, and get ready for my reboot!

Thank you, community, for your support. Let’s all succeed together!

Kacie