Reinventing Yourself. The Rejoy Backstory.
One year ago, I was hugging my fellow Amazonians wishing them farewell. At the time, my plan was to take a year off to write screenplays. Today, I am the founder of Rejoy; a sustainability brand focused on helping people optimize their lives.
How did I get here?
Shortly after I left Amazon, my dear friend was getting ready to sell her 3-bedroom home of 17 years. She called me feeling overwhelmed by the amount of treasures she accumulated and the struggle of having to downsize to a one-bedroom houseboat. Having new free time on my hands and a life-long love of organizing, I helped her start the process.
Fast forward to last month that same friend and now Rejoy partner, Sheri Hauser, calls me from her home office in that lovely houseboat to interview me for her podcast, Pink Noise Radio. She opens by calling me a “reinvention specialist” (which makes me giggle). And continues with her investigating how I jump—so confidently—into new adventures, like launching Rejoy. :)
Take a listen!
Pink Noise Radio: Reinvention Specialist with Harmony Hasbrook
Our conversation starts with Sheri asking me about my career. I give the whole story—spanning from my childhood on Maui to New York City and 9/11 to the Great Recession in Seattle to my “100 Days or More” experiment. I talked for a solid 15 minutes unscripted. Phew.
For the next 45 minutes, I talk about my decision to leave Amazon, my time screenwriting, and finally launching Rejoy.
My last day at Amazon right before I turned in my badge.
Here are a few of the insights I shared on reinvention:
See the signs.
If you find yourself not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, it’s probably time to think about a change.
Think about tradeoffs.
What are you giving up in exchange for a big paycheck? Is it worth it? You may not think you have a choice, but you do. Is there a job out there for you that doesn’t come with the same sacrifices? Maybe you’ll make less money, but you could be happier.
Flip the negative.
Coming up with what you want and speaking your desires can be hard to just pick out of the blue. But we all find it easy to complain. Acknowledge your grievances. Then look at that those and flip each one on its head.
What does your stuff say about you?
As you purge and go through your things, think about what you’ve collected says about who you are. Books in particular are clues to that identity. Maybe it’s time to discard things that no longer align with the who you want to be?
Forge a path that aligns with your values.
Look at the values that are important to you before you go down a new path. For me it’s honesty, generosity, community, and a deep love for our beautiful planet. I founded Rejoy based on those values.
Lists are awesome.
For career. For love. For anything. I love lists. Enough said.
If these tips resonate with you, have a listen to the full story. And tune into Pink Noise Radio where you get your podcasts: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Soundcloud for more inspiration and life lessons.
