There’s a strange moment that happens when things finally start turning around. After years of grinding, rejection, physically and mentally recovering from a car accident and malignant narcissist abuse, burnout, or instability, your first instinct isn’t excitement; it’s disbelief. You question whether it’s luck, timing, or just another mirage.
But when opportunities start showing up, people reaching out, small projects trickling in, old contacts resurfacing, it’s not random. It’s the result of everything you did when no one was watching. Every article, every email, every small act of persistence sent quiet ripples outward. Now they’re coming back.
It doesn’t feel real because your nervous system is still wired for survival mode. But the proof is in front of you — your name circulating again in various industries, regular assignments with several clients that quietly orbit your skill set.
This isn’t a reset; it’s your second act taking shape. And it doesn’t need to resemble a traditional 9-to-5 career rebuild. Multiple income streams, creative autonomy, and selective partnerships — that’s the new definition of success for a seasoned professional who’s been through the fire and learned what matters.
So when something new lands and you think, “This feels unreal,” try reframing it: it’s not unreal, it’s just unfamiliar. Real progress feels strange after a long drought. But it’s happening.
John Berkovich Talks 