Living on Purpose (When Nothing Goes as Planned)

When I was first put on unpaid furlough in February 2025, I cried. Not because of the job itself, but because of what it signaled—a loss far bigger than a paycheck. I grieved for what was happening to our country. I grieved on behalf of communities that would bear the brunt of cruel new policies, and for children around the world whose lives hung in the balance as global aid was dismantled. I mourned for my team, the bright spot of every workday, now facing instability in a time of chaos.

But after a few hours of tears and self-pity, I did what I do best: I created a document.

In it, I started producing my life. 

That document became the blueprint for how I would spend the next 30 days with intention. One of the first items? A 30-day yoga challenge. Each day of movement marked another day of furlough—a rhythm, a reminder, and a release. I structured my days around these pillars:

• Improve myself

• Connect with others

• Make stuff

• Learn something new 

• Apply for jobs

• Have fun (even with no income)

I filled the calendar with free or low-cost activities that aligned with those goals. I also turned to over a decade of old bucket lists to find forgotten ambitions I could finally bring to life.

By the time I hit 60 days of unpaid furlough, I completed 14 goals, some new, some a decade old. And through it all, I rediscovered something that unemployment and uncertainty couldn't take from me: a deep sense of purpose.

My job has never been my purpose. But the career I’ve built, helping mission-driven organizations tell stories that spark change, has always been aligned with it. And in my personal life, The Great Goal Rush has become the way I spark change in myself. As a beautiful byproduct, it’s inspired and sparked others to do the same.

I’m proud of that.

I was officially laid off April 17th and today I’m at 90+ days without a salary. That’s not ideal. But staying sane, joyful, and purposeful in the face of uncertainty? That’s a different kind of wealth. It’s also a powerful reminder that the goals we set, even the ones scribbled down a decade ago, can still be timely, still be healing, still be exactly what we need.

This is how I stayed grounded during the collapse of a system.

And I can’t wait to share the monumental goals I completed during this season.

My Superpower

One of my greatest strengths is finding joy and purpose even when the world feels like it’s on fire, a mindset shaped and strengthened by a decade of creating yearly bucket lists. That ritual, which my husband and I blogged about in The Great Goal Rush (you can google it), has taught me to chase joy with intention, lean into discomfort, and say yes to things that stretch me. “Write a book” was on my 2024 list and I finished it during my furlough in March 2025. The book captures everything The Great Goal Rush has been for me: a compass, an anchor, and a reminder that even when life feels chaotic, we have control in how we respond. 

Lately, in between applying for literally hundreds of jobs (350 if you want me to be exact), I’ve been returning to the bucket list items I never got to finish. Yes, it’s a distraction, but it’s become a discipline. Movement keeps me grounded. Staying focused, hopeful, and in motion? That’s not just my coping mechanism—it’s my superpower.

Another hidden talent: squeezing in writing anywhere I can, including on the rec center floor outside the bathroom during my daughter’s ballet class.

The big dream, besides getting this book published, is to turn this superpower into something bigger. What does that look like? TBD. My mission is to spark movement—within ourselves and in the world. But if you’re curious about what comes next, I’m building an email list to share updates, stories, and sneak peeks as this evolves. 

There’s a little “sign up for news and updates” doohickey on the contact area below if you want in. Or just reach out to me and I’ll add you. 

It’s Not You, It’s Them: Unemployment in 2025

I want to speak to something that’s really been weighing on me on behalf of everyone out there who’s navigating the exhausting reality of job searching right now.

Lately, I’ve seen so many posts from so-called experts telling the masses how to “optimize” our LinkedIn profiles or “fix” our résumés to catch a recruiter’s eye. And sure, those tweaks can help.

But let’s be real: this isn’t a job market—this the Job Olympics.

I was recently selected along with 8 others for a role where I was one of 900 applicants. And that’s not unusual. It doesn’t matter how many keywords you stuff into your profile, how expert your experience is, how tailored your cover letter reads, or if you’ve had the lived experience –sometimes, it’s luck. Sometimes, it’s timing. And too often, it’s neither.

Even when you do get noticed, the system is still broken. I had five rounds of interviews for a position–one with the CEO, one with the team I’d manage, and completion of reference checks. I was so sure I was going to get the job, I booked my first haircut in a year to look fresh for the first day (this is my new haircut).

And then? They decided to reopen the search. I didn't cry at the birth of my daughter, but I cried all day after receiving this email.

I’m not sharing this to discourage anyone. I’m sharing it to say: this is not your fault.

If you haven’t landed the job yet, it’s not because you’re lacking. It’s because the system is overwhelmed, imperfect, and broken.

So to everyone in this together: What’s one word you’d use to describe your job search right now?

Guest Speaking at a High School

I’ve been wanting to explore more ways to speak with young women and girls about purpose, creativity, and resilience, which led to this opportunity. Now that I’ve been placed on unpaid furlough, I suddenly have more room on my calendar to dedicate to it.

I recently spoke to a high school leadership class, and the teacher told me what students need most is to see themselves represented. That meant I needed to focus less on polished accomplishments and more on how I got here—my actual journey.

As I prepared, I found myself reflecting on the last 20 years and realized I’ve been doing some version of this “job” longer than I thought. With my first communion money, I bought a camera, I got involved in the yearbook in middle school, and journalism in high school. I was always trying to document the world around me. So in a way, it’s no surprise I landed where I am.

Of course, I couldn’t resist leaving them with a few nuggets of wisdom:

• Lean into what gives you joy

• Be the change you wish to see in the world

• Appreciate the simple things—nothing is guaranteed

Then came Q&A, and wow—these high schoolers were next level:

• “Have you ever experienced misogyny in the workplace?”

• “How did having a kid change your career?”

• “Have you ever had to sacrifice what you believe in to get something accomplished?”

Okay, little Andrea Mitchells. I came to share some wisdom, but in the end, I left inspired by their courage, clarity, and curiosity. They’re thinking critically, asking bold questions, and I truly hope they shake up the system. Actually—please, go do it.

A Love Letter To My Career

Since it’s Valentine’s Day and all, I want to profess my love… of my career….

I started out producing fashion shows for kids and attending toy conferences at AOL (yes, that AOL). I moved onto National Geographic Society, where I helped produce games, content, and educational videos for kids. At Nat Geo, my team won a Webby and at the after party, I got to experience how it feels to be tightly embraced by Buzz Aldrin.

I realized that I wanted to expand my portfolio—I wanted to use content production and storytelling to make the world better than how I entered it. I entered the nonprofit world at No Kid Hungry. I wrote scripts for food-shaped puppets advocating for kids to receive food stamp benefits, ghost wrote blogs, oversaw the production of websites promoted on talk shows (and once asked to touch up an unnamed spokesperson’s hair to make it a little less gray).

I moved onto another mission-driven organization after three years, the National Endowment for Democracy, where I helped to elevate the voices of activists around the world. I remember feeling the weight of this important work while interviewing a Pakistani political cartoonist who survived an assassination attempt.

For the past three years at the International Rescue Committee, I have had the honor of leading a team dedicated to telling the stories of displaced people and refugees worldwide. If even one person’s perception changed about the 120 million people forcibly displaced, then it’s all been worth it.

The recent cut to USAID have put our client’s lives, programs, and critical aid efforts at risk, and much less importantly in the grand scheme of things, I now find myself placed on unpaid furlough for the next 30 days.

And yet, despite the frustration, heartbreak, and cruelty that sometimes overshadows the good, I still have the audacity to believe that we can make a difference.

I love my weird, unpredictable, deeply meaningful career, and I hope I can continue to use my voice, my skills, and my unwavering belief in change to keep making an impact—wherever I land next (or if I’m brought back at the IRC!).

*If any of my furloughed colleagues want to comment on this post so my network sees your LinkedIn page/portfolio, I encourage you to do so.

What is Fun & Freedom?

At the start of 2025, as I do for each new year, I come up with a word or words that are my North Star for the year ahead. In January, I declared it my year of “fun and freedom” — freedom from body image baggage, job stress, and anything that dimmed my creativity. I was finished writing the book that kept me awake at night, continued to tackle my bucket list, and as always, leaned hard into joy.

Then life delivered its plot twist: an unpaid furlough, courtesy of an unelected bonehead and the felon-President who dismantled USAID without a second thought. After years of pouring myself into the nonprofit space and humanitarian work, it’s all unraveling — and I’m just collateral damage in whatever this new system is.

The irony isn’t lost on me — now “fun and freedom” includes job boards and writing a billion cover letters. But in a strange way, the theme still fits. This year has been about saying yes to what fills me up and getting clearer on what comes next.

If you want to follow the ride or just need a little push to chase your own joy, see the contact box below and hit “sign up for news and updates.” Let’s move forward—on purpose.