Young journalists are rightfully asking about burnout and the sustainability of this career path. I experienced trauma early in my career and have chronic mental health concerns. I haven't always had clear goals; most of the time, I was just trying to get from day to day. 1/
And my path has taken a lot of turns. I did journalism for seven years, then marketing (which I hated), then grad school, then more journalism, then more grad school (which was not a healthy lifestyle for me), then more journalism. I finally feel like I'm where I want to be. 2/
Much of that has to do with working for an organization that supports me professionally and for a supervisor who sees my strengths when I can't. And I've done the work on my mental health to get through the past 13 months and still feel good personally and professionally. 3/
All this is to say: Do what you need to do for you. It's OK to get out of journalism. It's OK to get back into journalism. It's OK to take a break, to rethink your goals, to take more time to get to where you want to go. There isn't a right way or a wrong way to do this. 4/
"Where do you see yourself in five years?" has always been my least favorite interview question. It's not always a bad thing not to know the answer. Five years ago, I was in the deepest depression of my life, and I couldn't have imagined the contentedness I feel now. 5/5
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