The Moment I Knew I Had to Leave Journalism... And Accidentally Start a Business

Two years ago, I did something I never thought I’d do — I walked away from journalism.

I’d built a career doing what I loved. I’d reported the death of the UK's longest reigning monarch. I’d interviewed iconic Aussie musicians. I’d sat with WWII veterans and listened to their stories firsthand. I shared stories from community members who believed they didn't have stories to tell.

But I’d also covered horrific court cases. Fatal car accidents. And for 11 straight days in December 2022, I reported on the Wieambilla siege — the planned ambush of four police officers, where three innocent lives were lost.

That story shook me. It still does.

By March 2023, I wasn’t just burnt out — I was unraveling. Facing the possibility of a PTSD diagnosis, I made a choice that didn’t feel like quitting — it felt like surviving. I left.

In the months that followed, I focused on healing. I went to therapy. I started Bowen therapy. I exercised, I cried, I slept. I spent time with my family. In one photo from that time, I’m smiling while holding my newborn niece — but what you can’t see are the flashbacks, the panic, the way my body was trying to process everything I’d witnessed. That moment is etched in my memory.

When this photo was taken in December 2022, I was thrilled to be cuddling my newborn niece, but on the inside, I was screaming.

Then, quietly, without meaning to, I began helping small business owners. I gave advice, helped with content, tweaked their messaging, all over cups of coffee. Then someone said, “You should charge for this.”.

So I did. And MJ Communications was born in May 2023.

Since then? I’ve worked with dozens of beautiful clients. I’ve helped people find their voice — and their story. I’ve created a business that feels like me, and that gives other people the same permission to show up as they are.

I’m still healing. I’m still learning. But I’m proud.

And if you’re in a season where everything feels too hard to hold — I hope this is your reminder: endings can turn into beginnings. Even when it doesn’t feel like it at the time.