18 years ago, I lost my job. I’d worked in magazines for years, been editor of three, and suddenly my career was over in my early 40s. With two young children at home and bills to pay, it was terrifying. Loss of status, loss of income, loss of certainty about my way forward. For a while, mentally at least, I was in pieces.

But I not only survived, I thrived. It wasn’t the job loss that defined me, but the many incredible things I’ve done since. I learnt to be entrepreneurial, to diversify and to be self-reliant. This has helped me to earn a living doing work I Iove, and I’m my own boss.

I went on to share my story about thriving post-50 in the Telegraph.

Our most powerful stories aren’t about our successes. The awards we’ve won, the targets we’ve aced, the courses launched. These have their place, but the stories that really resonate focus on loss.

  • Loss of livelihood, of a job, of a much-loved career.

  • Maybe you lost your partner, or a family member.

  • An aspect of your health or mental stability.

  • Or your confidence, your mojo, your sense of self.

These are stories we remember long after we’ve read them. We all know things can go wrong in life in the blink of an eye. We can empathise and identify, because we know how loss feels.

Describing how you responded to loss shows what kind of person you are. It doesn’t have to be a sob story. But as a way of highlighting your strength and spirit, of how it’s galvanised you, what it’s taught you, even how it’s redefined you, a story of loss is hard to beat. And it’s the kind of story the media loves.

If you’d like help exploring what makes you press-worthy and pinning down your media strategy, let’s talk.