Riding the Rollercoaster

I’ve been on a wild rollercoaster of emotions over the last week. One week ago, I was high. I was literally high…no, not like THAT!

I was hiking in the beautiful mountains on the eastern side of Tucson with my husband and children. The temperature was comfortable, the smells from the blooming flowers were amazing and the views were stupendous (see below).

But on the early-morning flight home the next day, my heart sank as my five-year-old became motion sick upon our bumpy landing in Newark. We returned to temperatures in the low 40s with 30+ mph wind gusts (hence the landing feeling like we were riding a bucking horse).

I went from vacation mode directly back to reality with all sorts of work deadlines looming, doctor appointments (planned and unplanned), household tasks to catch up on and no childcare available for the next four days.

Then the end of the week came, and it felt like the bottom dropped out. I was nauseated as I read story after story over the weekend about scientists who had lost funding for their research, graduate students who didn’t know how they were going to pay for their education, plus museums and libraries who were facing excruciating choices after losing grant money to name a few things.

Sunday morning my outlook improved as I watched the excitement of my children, the elder, who had played the role of the Easter bunny the night before helping me prep and hide eggs, and the younger, whose belief in the magic of the holiday still shone bright. But I took a nose dived again that afternoon as I furiously worked on projects with deadlines I couldn’t push back. I continued sinking through challenge after challenge throughout the next two days.

As I hit send on my last high priority writing assignment late Tuesday afternoon, I took a deep breath and extended myself grace.

I stopped beating myself up for taking time during the trip to simply be with my family and friends, rather than trying to get ahead with my work.

I reminded myself that many of the delays in completing my work were entirely out of my control.

I recognized that I was trying my hardest, and while it would never be perfect, it was enough to keep everyone fed and safe.

I pushed back deadlines where I could (including extending the registration for my LinkedIn Sprint for the STEM Community to today) and made sure to get sunshine on my skin and the dog out for a walk.

Surviving the Ride

If you’re struggling right now, I’m with you. Just remember:

• It’s OK to have moments of happiness even when the world around you seems to be crumbling.

• Perfection is impossible and sometimes great isn’t achievable. Good needs to be good enough in those moments.

• Recognize what you can and can’t control. You can’t control what is happening in the federal government or climate change, but you can control whether you doom scroll for hours on social media or reach out to a friend instead.

Take a deep breath. Take care of yourself and those around you. Seek out beauty in your world.

STEM Community

I know the last few months have been extremely difficult. That’s why the LinkedIn Sprint I’m kicking off this week is for you. If you’re a member of the STEM community (meteorologists, engineers, scientists, science journalists and more), you’re invited to join me in finding beauty in the world through supporting one another. As I mentioned, the registration deadline has been extended to today. Here’s more information.

And for everyone reading this newsletter, my May Sprint is for all Job Seekers (registration will be opening this week when I get around to it).

Resource Roundup

I’ve decided to mix things up in this section of my newsletter and share a variety of types of resources.

• Looking for folks to follow on LinkedIn who regularly post job opportunities? Check out the list at the bottom of my newsletters from November 29, 2024 to January 16, 2025.

• Struggling after being laid off? Listen to the podcast, Proxy with Yowei Shaw. Yowei is the former host of the NPR podcast Invisibilia but was laid off in 2023. She started Proxy as a way of trying to understand why she felt so terrible. She began this new podcast with “The Layoff Trilogy”. This series does an amazing job of combining research and storytelling as it address a devastating situation with compassion and generous helpings of humor. This is a must-listen resource if you’ve been laid off or if someone you care about has been.

Hi! I’m Sara Kobilka, owner of Renaissance Woman Consulting.

I am a Renaissance Woman (what’s THAT? Good question! Here’s my answer). My wide-ranging background includes time as a TV meteorologist/reporter, non-profit leader, higher education program coordinator, curriculum designer, and now, business owner. During each leg of this journey, I gained new skills that I was able take with me in my next step. Now, I work remotely with clients to help them confidently tell their story and navigate the transition to the next leg of their career journey.

Take the Next Step

• Follow me on LinkedIn where I actively cross-pollinate impactful ideas across industries and disciplines (and regularly share job opportunities I come across)

• Check out my one-on-one career coaching program or join a cohort of job seekers for small group coaching

• Sign up to be the first to know when I offer my workshops: Using LinkedIn to be a Powerhouse Networker and How TV News Pros Can Land a Remote Job.

• Participate in one of my LinkedIn Sprints (March is for freelance creatives)

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