The Art of Reinvention

Have you ever felt stuck in your life and career? Have you ever wondered how your life would look like if you changed course?                                              

I’ve felt stuck many times. But over time I’ve learned the power of reinvention.

Reinventing ourselves is hard. It requires time, courage and self-awareness. But staying in our comfort zone is even harder. Being a passenger of our own life means we are not fulfilling our goals or dreams. At the end of our life, it can feel devastating. 

In this article, I’ll share how I reinvented myself.

Time to Pause

In 2018 after 14 years working non stop as a consultant for a big technology corporation in Latin America, I paused my career to take a sabbatical and start a family.

Since I had started my career, working long hours, handling multiple projects and traveling constantly across Latin America was the norm. But, slowly over the years, I started experiencing burnout symptoms. Sleepless nights, sudden chest pain, constant headaches, and a pounding heart left me questioning my life and career. 

My passion outside of work was hiking. Climbing mountains and walking in nature helped me keep my sanity during challenging times at work. After a hiking trip to Nepal, I decided to take a sabbatical to explore life beyond being a technologist.

During my sabbatical I got married, travelled to eight countries and hiked the Inca Trail in Peru and Camino de Santiago in Spain. Then I made the conscious decision of extending my career break to raise a family.

In the next two years I went from being a successful and financially independent female engineer in Colombia to becoming an immigrant in the US and a stay-at-home mom of two little ones. 

Even though I was living my dream  by living a simple life close to nature and being present at home raising two little explorers, the reality is that my family was struggling financially after COVID . The need to support my family and a growing desire for new challenges made me questioning once again my life and career choices.

Time to Relaunch

After I received my green card, I decided it was time to change course. Thanks to the support of my family and the long hours I put at night after the kids went to bed to skill up, I reconnected with my inner engineer once again. 

In 2023 I relaunched my career in the US as a lead engineer in the largest credit union in Montana. 

My journey back to work wasn’t easy. Before I found the right organization to relaunch my career I experienced my first career setback and it was crushing. But thanks to the resiliency and grit I developed throughout the years, working on projects and hiking mountains, I was able to power through the difficult times. 

Time to Move Forward

During the past two years I joined two organizations that supports women to advance their careers and I became a mentee and a mentor. I also obtained the CISSP certification, one of the most after-sough certifications for cybersecurity leaders. And the cherry on top so far has been attending two cybersecurity conferences thanks to my employer’s sponsorship and a scholarship with Women in Cybersecurity & Privacy. 

What is next for me in this new season? 

This fall I started a new chapter as a cybersecurity volunteer instructor for Code Girls United, a local non-profit that supports girls to develop skills in technology and business around Montana. Also, a couple of friends and I are waiting for approval to start an affiliate with WiCyS to inspire and help other career changers to pursue Cybersecurity. And, I submitted proposals to speak at two women’s conference next year.

Will I get selected as a speaker for these conferences? I don’t know, but the fact that I submitted the proposals is a huge win for me. Three years ago I showed up at local Toastmaster’s meeting for the first time fearful and doubtful about speaking in English in public, and now I’m visualizing myself delivering a talk at a conference.

Final Thoughts

Each season of reinvention has been challenging but rewarding. Each time I’ve pushed boundaries and learned new possibilities. 

Although my professional career took a hit by pausing it temporarily, I don’t regret it. By taking a pause and letting myself explore beyond my career, I did 10x my life overall.

I went from living in a chaotic 11-million people city in Colombia, to having Glacier National Park, the jewel crown of North America, less than an hour away from my backyard. 

By becoming a mom, leaving my life in Colombia behind and relocating to the US away from my support system I learned to adapt and established new roots for my family and me, in a new country, new language and new culture.

Now as a working mom, I feel closer to my dream life while I get to contribute to my family’s finances and well being.  And, I’m also learning and I’m using my skills to help others. 

Luckily my office is close to home, and I don’t spend a long time commuting. Everyday, I get to be present at home for my family after work. 

And, on the weekends my family and I adventure outside to enjoy nature and we go hiking, camping, biking or skiing together.

Finally, during this reinvention season that I’m going through, I once again rekindled my passion for technology and I’m making an impact in the community. I’m not sure where this new identity will take me but I feel truly excited for the growth opportunities that lie ahead.

So, yes, reinventing yourself is hard, but if you feel stuck in your life and career, staying where you are is even harder. 

If my story resonated with you, I encourage you to choose the path of reinvention today.

Start by asking yourself the hard questions. 

• What do you want to do with the rest of your life?
• How do you want to be remembered?
• How do you want to invest your time and talents?
• What are you willing to give up, to step into your next chapter?

Remember, the art of reinvention takes time, courage and self-awareness.