Cautiously Optimistic

I am an eternal optimist, and this attribute has served me well. I have had a career path with many twists and turns, starting with practicing environmental law at a small firm, then doing research at a nonprofit, and finally being in my current role in Talent at Deloitte. Even though the path was not always clear, I have taken advantage of every opportunity to grow and develop. Invariably, this has led to new opportunities.

I know that these are trying times – many of us are experiencing changes in our lives that we have not initiated, and the future seems uncertain. This level of instability can be unsettling. But it can also be inspiring. There is no better role model for this lesson than JK Rowling. This summer, she spoke at my daughter’s college graduation. She described a point in her life when she was recovering from a disastrous marriage, with a young child and no job. She was literally on the brink of poverty and felt a failure. It was only then that she focused on what was truly important to her – her writing. As she said (and I’m paraphrasing): “Out of rock bottom, I built the foundation for the rest of my life.”

I believe we are all capable of this renewal, both as individuals and as a society. And I am cautiously optimistic that out of the current conditions will arise many new opportunities to rethink how we approach many things – including women and leadership, including work/life integration -- and come out the stronger for it. That is my New Year wish for all of us – myself included.