Page 127 - Wake Up and do Your Thing

NICHOLAS BOOTHMAN
fired from her first reporting job at 23. Stephen King was janitor living in a trailer at 24. At 23 Tina Fey worked at the YMCA and Jack Ma was a teacher in China before founding Alibaba at 35.
In April 2009, Alice Eldon, a twenty-nine-year-old programmer, followed her partner Casey from Montreal to Collingwood, Ontario, when he landed a senior position in a wealth management company. Alice applied for dozens of jobs in the town, but nothing seemed to be the right fit. She was overqualified! Finally, after two months of searching, she found a job at a clothing store just off the high street. It wasn't what she wanted and definitely not what her husband wanted—he was embarrassed and sarcastic about it—but the job gave her life meaning and a chance to talk to people. After five tumultuous months Casey moved out and moved in with one of his wealthy clients leaving Alice on the hook for the apartment—Casey had persuaded Alice to sign the lease so he could scam the company for living expenses. She fell to pieces, became unpredictable at work and eventually got laid off.
Thank goodness she owned her car because the stress of being unemployed and unable to keep up with her rent forthenextsevenmonthswastoomuch. Alicebecame depressed. She stopped leaving the apartment, except for the occasional drive to the supermarket on the edge of town, and she stopped seeing people.
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