Second Chances - Handling Career Setbacks
When Susan Richardson's dream career hit a roadblock, she didn't agonize over what could have been. Instead, the now-58-year-old from Andover, Massachusetts, forged ahead over new terrain....
By Emma Haak
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the June 2012 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine 
Illustration: Peter Arkle
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"I studied to be a special ed teacher," she says, "but when I graduated college in 1976, I needed a full-time job, and schools were hiring only part-time. I told myself my first job didn't have to be forever and worked as a secretary at a hearing aid company for a few months while I figured out my next move." The takeaway: Keeping setbacks in perspective helps keep you open to possibility. Next time you suffer a disappointment, write down the good things in your life. Pen and paper will do the trick, or try the Gratitude Journal app. —Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, University of North Carolina psychology professor |
