Between Trapezes - Flying into a New Life

I've been reading off and on for many months the book Between Trapezes by Gail Blanke, and I finally finished it this past week. With the uncertainty of the job market--ANY job market really, but particularly the job market of the past few years, it seemed fitting that I remind myself of what I do best, and how I really want to spend my time.

If you've ever watched a trapeze artist, you'll know there's a moment when they must let go of one trapeze in order to grab a hold of the next one. It's this illustration that provides the foundation of the book. Each chapter retells the stories of people who had found themselves between trapezes and how they managed to let go and move forward.

The author of the book, Gail Blanke, is currently the founder and president of Life Designs, but she earned her street cred as an executive at Avon. She herself has spent some time between trapezes, so she isn't just writing about other peoples' experiences but also her own.

One key take-away from the book is not to cling to the "Woe is me, life sucks!" mentality. Although circumstance might completely justify that attitude, it's impossible to change the past. You can only learn from it, grow from it, and move forward.

And strangely enough, it's those unsettling moments in life that have us questioning almost everything that can have the most profound POSITIVE impact.

Copyright © Deborah A. Ayers - All rights reserved.