Before I started this ride, I wasn’t a cyclist. In fact, if anything went wrong mechanically with my bike, I wouldn’t have known how to fix it. From this experience, I learned to adapt and to be resilient in unfamiliar situations. I rely on these skills as I form new relationships as a freelancer and problem-solve creatively. I am proud of my ability to “figure things out.”

My husband’s illness and eventual death is the reason I had to leave agency life to work as a freelancer. My resume may seem to have a “gap” in the traditional sense, but I’ve spent this time building a mindset and developing skills you don’t gain through a squeaky clean career trajectory.