P43: Breaking the Script. Ditching Autopilot.

Welcome to Just One Pivot, a focused pause to spark your next best move. This week, we’re learning from a nurse turned entrepreneur whose pivot might just illuminate your own next step. If someone forwarded this to you, you can subscribe to get your own copy.

Hello from Sunny San Diego!

Today, I am thrilled to introduce you to Abby Kent, one of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet, who might just inspire you to examine the part of your life that’s still on autopilot.

And I could not have chosen a better time.

In the U.S., we’re in the middle of our three day, Labor Day Weekend. For my readers around the world, families pack their coolers and head to the beach or their favorite campground to unwind before getting back to the grind for the rest of the year. Labor Day, the first Monday in September, commemorates the contributions of the labor movement, which fought for better working conditions, reasonable hours, and fair wages during the late 19th century.

What the labor movement didn’t address, and what few rarely admit, is how we often find ourselves in working conditions that no salary or office perk can resolve. Sometimes the very work meant to give us meaning begins to chip away at our health and our soul.

Which makes this the perfect moment to introduce you to Abby.

I met Abby through her husband who first came across an essay I wrote on Medium, and that simple connection opened the door to one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve had in a long time.

We talked about leaving a safety net to pursue purpose on an entrepreneurial path, and we agreed that entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful personal development tools because, as Abby puts it: “You can’t hide from your fear. It will find you. You have to face it.”

Pivot Point

Today, Abby is a Board Certified Coach, a nurse, and, admittedly, a fellow high-achiever who, after 13 years in nursing, realized she was on autopilot.

The pandemic only amplified the need for a pivot. She scrolled through job listings, wondering if a change of scenery would help. But nothing felt right. She describes that season now as being deeply out of alignment, trying to fit a mold she never really fit.

Then she discovered nurse coaching.

That path meant opening a private practice, becoming an entrepreneur, and learning the hard way that working harder isn’t the same as living better.

Now, she partners with big-hearted professionals who know, deep down, they were never meant to fit the mold. After waking up to her own life on autopilot, she chose to break the script, and now helps others do the same. Through powerful conversations and holistic 1:1 support, she guides clients to move beyond survival mode and create a way of leading and living that feels authentic, sustainable, and true.

The Shift

Abby’s pivot didn’t start with walking away. It started with small steps: researching, seeking coaching, practicing self-care.

That shift reshaped everything: her work, her rhythms, her marriage, even her definition of success.

The Uncommon Move

A lot of people Abby and I meet are frustrated—with their work, their life, or both. And yet, it often feels easier to stay in the hamster wheel: moving fast, spinning hard, but never actually going anywhere that feels fulfilling, purposeful, authentic.

Henry David Thoreau captured this perfectly in Walden when he wrote: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” That’s the hamster wheel.

Abby’s courage invites a question for all of us:

Your Move Starts with a Question

This week, choose one small place where you’ve been going through the motions. Perhaps it’s your job, your marriage or a relationship, your health, your finances, your spiritual life, or a creative longing you’ve put on hold. Pause long enough to notice:

That’s a question I also asked of myself over a year ago. And just like Abby, I stepped away from a big and lucrative position at the end of December, a story Abby has challenged me to share, even while it’s still in progress. I accepted, so I’ll share more soon.

Not everyone has to leave something or take a risky leap to get off autopilot. But asking the question is the first step in finding clarity and your next best move.

Abby’s story shows us that momentum in any area of our lives doesn’t come from staying in the proverbial hamster wheel. Yes, it may feel like we’re moving, but true momentum comes from daring to take a step in the right direction.

The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone.

Learn more about Abby’s work at abbykentcoaching.com and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Until next week,

P.S. Ready to explore your next pivot? Book a free pivot strategy consultation and walk away with clarity about what might be your next step. It’s my gift to you.

P.S.S. An Invitation to join me this September at The Renew Experience for Women, a Leadership and Wellness Journey, an event designed for women ready to explore the kind of journey we are talking about today.