Blank White Canvas: Who Am I Now?

Introduction

Hello, I’m Tina K. Davis, a multi-business owner with ADHD, starting over again at 47. This new beginning follows my second divorce and a major layoff from a job I had dedicated nearly two decades to.

After allowing myself a one-year pity party, it's time to move forward and figure out who I am now. Hopefully, you'll follow along and see where I end up on this journey.

A Year in Reflection

Today marks one year since I was laid off from a company where I spent 17 years. The layoff itself was part of a larger workforce reduction, but it was still a tough pill to swallow.

My career had become my identity; I started in a call center and worked my way up, giving everything I had. It was hard to let go because that job had become such a defining part of me.

This wasn’t the first time I’d experienced a layoff. However, it was the second time in my adult life I thought I had a career path I could retire from, only to have it pulled away.

Two months later, my husband of 19 years asked for a divorce. I was already grieving my lost career, and now I had to figure out who I was as a newly single woman.

Surviving the First Few Months

The initial months were all about survival—just trying to comprehend what had happened. I wasn't the only one affected by the layoff; it impacted my entire team, including people I had grown close to over the years.

We shared life’s milestones together—births, weddings, divorces—and we had become like a little family. But suddenly, we were all cut loose, left to navigate this change on our own.

Not only did I lose a career, but I lost the daily interactions with people who had become a significant part of my life.

They were more than just coworkers; they were friends. When you leave a workplace after so long, it’s not just the job that you’re mourning—it’s the relationships and the familiarity.

Navigating the End of a Marriage

The breakup of my marriage was another profound loss. It wasn’t entirely unexpected; the relationship had shown signs of strain.

Still, it’s hard to accept the end of something you invested years into. This experience made me realize I didn’t really know who I was anymore, nor did I understand my purpose.

Amidst these changes, I still had Petri's Place Wildlife Rehab. Though it was just a small operation at the time, I put much of my energy into growing the sanctuary over the past year.

It became my outlet, a place where I could channel my effort when I didn’t have the energy to build something from scratch.

I also opened Antenna Stories Boutique and dedicated more time to Trash Cat Coffee, both of which support the sanctuary.

Rebuilding: The New Me

During this year off, I built up my business ventures to support the nonprofit. The boutique was a coincidence—it came to fruition when I had the time to set it up.

Now, I am no longer in corporate, I’m single, and I’m running multiple businesses on my own. While I was productive, I constantly felt like I wasn’t doing enough. Despite working tirelessly, I was burning myself out.

That brings me to now: I have a blank canvas in front of me, ready for a new beginning. I’m not starting from zero—I have a foundation, a network, and a home.

But I’m crafting a fresh start with a new mindset and focus, using the tools I’ve applied to help others over the years, this time for myself.

Who Am I Now?

Today, October 10th, 2024, marks the end of the pity party. It’s a turning point. I’m redefining who I am, with a mindset focused on growth and self-empowerment. Imposter syndrome—personified by my "Imposter Monster," Dallas—won’t control me like she used to.

This is the start of a new chapter.

So, who am I now? I’m about to find out.

This journey won’t be without challenges, and I’m sure there will be days where I stumble. But with a new perspective and purpose, I’m ready to see where this path leads.

Join me as I create the next version of Tina.