Embracing Your Second Act with Shannon Russell

If you’re like many women I talk to, you might feel like you’ve spent the first half of your life checking all the boxes, doing all the things.  Career, family, helping with your aging parents, responsibility after responsibility, and now, something inside you is whispering that it’s time for a change. You might not know exactly what that change looks like yet, but you know that what you’ve been doing isn’t lighting you up anymore.

In this week’s episode of Message in the Middle, I had the pleasure of speaking with Shannon Russell, a woman who truly understands what it means to pivot. Shannon is a Career Transition and Business Coach, the author of Start Your Second Act, and the host of the Second Act Success Career Podcast.

Her story is one many of us can relate to. She started her career as a television producer working for major networks like MTV, E, TLC, and Yahoo. It was fast-paced and exciting, but eventually she realized the dream job she held, wasn't really supporting her dreams in real life.  That awareness led her to her opening a STEM education franchise and later becoming a coach dedicated to helping women navigate big life transitions.

During our conversation, Shannon shared so many powerful takeaways:

• How to recognize the not-so-obvious signs that it’s time for a shift

• Why so many women tie their worth to a job title and how to start untangling that

• A simple practice to help identify your core skills beyond the roles you’ve held

• What a solid exit strategy looks like and how to build one with confidence

• How Millennials may be shifting the narrative around career reinvention

• And the one message she wants every woman to walk away with

This episode is full of practical advice and encouragement for anyone who’s asking, What’s next for me? It’s an invitation to stop waiting for permission and start building a life that feels more aligned with who you are today.

You can listen to the full episode Paving the Way for Your Second Act with Shannon Russell

I hope this conversation sparks something in you the way it did for me. Let me know what resonates, I’d love to hear from you.