The Courage to Begin Again

The Purpose and The Pivot is a podcast for women navigating transitions in career, leadership, faith, and personal growth. It’s for those moments when you’re re-evaluating what’s next and choosing to realign with purpose—intentionally and confidently.

Through honest conversations, meaningful stories, and practical insight, we’ll explore how to embrace change, lead through transition, and move forward with clarity after the pivot.

McLain Career & Life Coaching dba McLain Enterprises, LLC 

https://www.mclainenterprisesllc.com 

https://calendly.com/mclainenterprises/30min 

Produced & Edited by: Tyrone K. Sullivan (Media Director)
linkedin.com/in/tyroneksullivan 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to the Purpose and the Pivot, the podcast for women who know it's time for more. With your host, C Renee McLean, career and life coach and champion for women navigating change with confidence and clarity. Each week we'll have real conversations about career moves, life transitions, mindset shifts, and the power of redefining your purpose at every stage of life. Whether you're pivoting professionally, personally, or both, this is your space for guidance, growth, and grounded support. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Welcome to The Purpose and the Pivot. Today's episode is the courage to begin again. Yes, yes, yes. So today we're talking about something that sounds simple but can feel incredibly difficult. Mm-hmm, yeah. Beginning again. And at some point in life, almost all of us find ourselves standing at a crossroads. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Maybe you've experienced a job loss. It's a lot of that going on right now in this job market. Yes, in this climate. Uh-huh. Yeah. A career change. It could be the end of a relationship. Uh possibly a business setback, a health challenge, yeah. An empty nest. A dream that didn't unfold the way you had hoped. Yeah. Or perhaps you've simply reached a place where you know you're ready for something different. Uh-huh. Yeah. And yet, knowing you're ready for a new beginning and actually taking the first step, oh my goodness, are two very different things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Because beginning again requires courage.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Uh-huh. Not because you're incapable and not because you're unqualified, but because every new beginning asks something of you. It asks you to move forward without having all the answers.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

It asks you to trust yourself before you feel completely confident. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Yeah. It asks you to believe that your next chapter can be meaningful even if you can't see how it unfolds. Uh-huh. Yeah. And that's what we are talking about today. The courage to begin again. Uh-huh. Yeah. So why does starting again feel so hard? Hmm. Well, let's be honest. Starting over can feel exhausting. Uh-huh. Yeah. Especially if you've already invested time, energy, effort, and emotion into something that didn't go as planned. But you know, sometimes the hardest part isn't the new beginning itself. It's grieving what didn't happen, what didn't work. Yeah. The promotion you didn't get. The business that just didn't work out. The relationship that ended. Mm-hmm. Yeah. The timeline that changed. The version of life you thought you'd be living by now. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And before you can fully embrace a new beginning, you often have to acknowledge the loss. Uh-huh. Yeah. You see, this is the thing. You can't move forward while pretending you're not disappointed. Yeah. You can't heal what you refuse to acknowledge. Uh-huh. Yeah. And know this there's no shame in admitting that some endings do hurt. Uh-huh. Yeah, they do. That's life. But here's what I want you to remember. An ending is not the same as failure. Uh-huh. Yeah. If you had to end that relationship, it doesn't mean you failed. It means that it just was time for it to end. It wasn't a forever relationship, right? Sometimes an ending is simply just a transition. Uh-huh. Yeah. A transition to your next, a transition towards your purpose. A transition to what you should be doing at this point of your life, regardless of your age. Uh-huh. Yeah. And know that you're not starting from scratch. Yeah. One of the biggest misconceptions about beginning again is the belief that you're starting over. Yeah, but you're not. You're starting from experience. Mm-hmm. Yeah. You're starting from lessons learned. Uh-huh. Yeah, because I know you learned some things now that that thing didn't work out. Mm-hmm. You're starting from wisdom gained, uh-huh, from that past relationship, perhaps. You're starting with greater self-awareness than you ever had before. Oh, yes, yes, yes. Think about it. You may not have had the exact outcome you wanted, but you're not the same person you were when you started, right? You've learned some things, yeah. You've grown, you've developed resilience. Oh my goodness, yes. And you've gained perspective, uh-huh. Yeah. And all of that comes with you into your next chapter. Oh yes. So instead of saying I'm starting over, try saying I'm starting from experience. Because those two things are totally different. Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And you know, I'ma tell you, sometimes people are worried because they fear what others will think. And that keeps some people stuck, uh-huh. They're worried about how it might look. What will people think? What will people say? What if I fail? What if I have to explain myself? What if I disappoint someone? And while these concerns are understandable, here's something worth considering. Yeah. The people who matter most are usually more focused on your courage than your perfection. Yeah. And the people who judge your growth often aren't the ones living your life. They're not living your life because guess what? You are. You're living your life. You are the one who has to wake up every day with the consequences of staying stuck. Yeah. You're the one who has to live with the regret of opportunities not pursued. Those opportunities that you never pursued. And sometimes courage. Courage looks like deciding that your future matters more than other people's opinions. Oh my. Oh my. I'm going to tell you something. One of the greatest freedoms in life is being delivered from the weight of other people's opinions. Oh my goodness, I'm going to say that again. One of the greatest freedoms in life is being delivered from the weight of other people's opinions. Because you know, the truth is, many people's opinions of you are filtered through their own experiences, insecurities, beliefs, and perspectives. And often what they think of you says more about who they are than who you are. Yeah, yeah. Often what they think about you says more about who they are than who you are. Yes, yes, yes. So don't allow someone else's view to define your value, your purpose, or your potential. This is a lesson I wish more people understood. Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I'm gonna tell you something else too. Confidence. Oh my goodness. Confidence rarely comes before action. You know, because most people believe they need to feel confident before they move. That's not true. That's not how confidence works. Confidence is often the result of taking action. It's built through experience, it's developed through repetition, it's strengthened through evidence. And you know what? Every time you take a step, even a small one, you create proof that you are capable. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. And those small acts of courage begin to build trust in yourself, uh-huh. Because that's who you need to build trust in is yourself. So if you are waiting until you feel completely ready, mm-hmm. You may be waiting a very long time. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So guess what? Take the step. Take the step and know that the confidence will catch up. Yes, trust me, the confidence will catch up. When I started doing the purpose and the pivot podcast, I didn't feel ready, but I launched out into the deep, if you will. I feel more confident now with each new episode and interview. But am I still learning things? Of course I am. But had I waited until I felt completely ready and until I felt like I knew all that there was to know, guess what, guys? There would not be a podcast yet. Yeah, yeah. So get started. Know that small beginnings do matter. Uh-huh. Yeah. You know, we often underestimate the power of small starts. What is that for you? We think if we're going to begin again, it has to be something dramatic. No, it doesn't. A major announcement. No, it doesn't. A huge leap. Uh-uh. No. A complete transformation overnight. That doesn't happen in real in reality. Most meaningful changes start quietly. And guess what? Everybody doesn't need to know what you plan to do. Some people don't need to know until it's actually done. What? Yeah. Mm-mm. Yeah. Change can start with a conversation. We're talking about small acts. We don't underestimate the power of small acts. It may start with just a conversation that you have with somebody. Uh-huh. Yeah. It might start with an application. It might start with a phone call. Yeah. It might start with a text. It might start with you reaching out to someone on LinkedIn. It might start with a class. A decision. Yeah. A commitment to try one more time. Yeah. Small beginnings create momentum. Uh-huh. Yes. And momentum creates progress. Do not overlook the power of one step. Oh my goodness. One step. Because one step becomes another and another. Yes. And before long, oh my goodness, you've traveled farther than you had ever imagined. Yes. Say loud. Oh yes. Pause and think about that.

unknown 14:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:27

Mm-hmm. So give yourself permission to be a beginner when you're starting over, when you're starting something new from new experiences with new wisdom. Because one of the most humbling parts of starting again is accepting that you may not be an expert right away. Who is an expert right away? When you start something new, you may feel uncertain. Yeah, that's normal. You may make mistakes. I still make mistakes with the podcast. Yeah. None of us is perfect. Nobody is perfect. Okay. You may have moments where you question yourself. Uh-huh. Yeah. All of those things are normal. All of those things are normal. Do you know every expert? Regardless of industry or what have you, every expert was once a beginner. Yeah. Every expert was once a beginner. Whether they were a basketball, whether you know, if they're a basketball star or soccer or football or a musician or an actor or a business person, every expert was once a beginner. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Every success story includes a chapter where someone had to learn, adapt, and grow. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Give yourself permission to be in process. Give yourself permission to be in process. Yeah. You don't have to know everything before you begin. Okay. Do you guys hear me? You do not have to know everything about whatever it is you're pursuing now. The new thing. You don't have to know everything about it before you begin. You just have to be willing to learn everything that you need to learn, right? Yeah. Because it's a process. It's a process. Yeah. Yeah. Here's what I know. There are people listening right now who have something on their heart. Yeah. It may be a dream unfulfilled. It may be an idea that you have. It may be a new goal. Uh-huh. Some sort of transition that you've been thinking about. Something you've been considering. Yeah. And you've been waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting for certainty. Waiting for confidence. Waiting for that perfect moment. Oh my goodness. What if the perfect moment never comes? What is the perfect moment? What if the opportunity is not waiting for you to be fearless? What if it's simply waiting for you to be willing? What? Be willing. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is choosing to take the next step, even when fear is present. Fear may accompany you on the journey, but guess what? Courage refuses to let it take the lead. Did you hear what I said? Courage is not the absence of fear, and fear may accompany you on the journey, but courage refuses to let fear take the lead. Oh my goodness. That's another Sela moment. Pause and think about that. Yeah. Because today we're talking about the courage to begin again. The courage to begin again. Maybe the relationship didn't work out. Okay, well, guess what? There's somebody else that wasn't the one. Maybe that job didn't work out. It's a lot of that, like I said, it's a lot of that going on. I work with a lot of um clients. A lot of my clients are folks that have been laid off, uh reorganized out, whatever the case may be. And guess what? I've had a lot of clients who have landed new positions this year. Over 20 something, it's June. Um, yeah. Over 20 something of my clients have landed new positions this year after being laid off. So, yes, people are being laid off, but people are also being hired again in new positions. Beginning again. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So as we are preparing to close this episode today, I want to leave you with a few questions. Yeah. Number one. Think about this. Personalize it. What am I being called to begin again? What am I being called to begin again? What number two? What fear is trying to convince me to stay where I am? What fear is trying to convince me to stay where I am? Number three, what experience do I already possess that will keep me moving forward? What experience do I already possess that will keep me or help me move forward? Yeah, yeah. And number four, what is one small step I can take this week? It is Tuesday. You have the rest of this week. What is one small step I can take this week toward my next chapter? Beginning again. Yeah. Remember this. You are not behind. Okay? You are not disqualified. You are not starting from nothing. You are not starting from nothing. You are beginning again with wisdom. You are beginning again with resilience. You are beginning again with experience, strength, and courage that you didn't have before. Okay? Yes, yes, you are. And sometimes the most courageous thing you can do is simply say, I am willing to try again. Yeah. I am willing to try again because every new beginning starts with one decision. The decision to begin. The decision to be willing to begin again. And that decision may be the very thing that changes everything.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

Everything. Oh yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

Yes, yes. Well, guys, until next time, be encouraged, be enlightened, and be empowered. I am C-Rene McLean. Thank you for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Thank you for tuning in to the Purpose and the Pivot. If today's episode encouraged or inspired you, be sure to follow the show and share it with another woman who's navigating her own transition. For coaching support or to connect with C Renee McLean directly, visit McLean Career and Life Coaching or schedule a consultation using the link in the show notes. Remember, your purpose evolves and you have permission to pivot. Until next time.