Exit… Stage Left

What We Can Learn from Joy Reid’s Departure from MSNBC

It’s been six months since The ReidOut was canceled—and Joy Reid hasn’t missed a beat.

When the news broke that her prime-time show was ending, many assumed it was the end of her career. But Joy didn’t flinch. She didn’t shrink. She didn’t wait to be rescued.

She regrouped. She reclaimed her voice. And she reemerged—on her own terms.

Today, Joy is building her own platform, unfiltered and unapologetic, with the same intelligence, integrity, and courage that first drew millions to her weeknights. Her audience followed. Her vision sharpened. Her momentum hasn’t stopped.

It’s a powerful reminder that just because one chapter ends doesn’t mean the story is over. Sometimes, it’s the beginning of something far more powerful.

For the Woman Who’s Done Everything Right

There’s a moment—sometimes quiet, sometimes on 10—when you realize the life you’ve built no longer feels right.

On paper, it looks impressive. You’ve achieved things most people only dream of. But inside? You’re tired. Unfulfilled. Haunted by the question: Is this all there is?

Maybe you’ve stayed too long in roles that no longer nourish you.

Maybe you’ve silenced your instincts out of obligation, loyalty, or fear of being seen as ungrateful.

Maybe you’ve been carrying the weight of being "the strong one" for so long that you’ve forgotten what it feels like to be lit up by your own life.

Regret whispers, You should have left sooner.
Resentment echoes, After everything I’ve given, this is the thanks I get?
And uncertainty lingers, But if not this… then what?

You’re not broken. You’re awakening.

What Joy’s Resilience Teaches Us

Joy Reid’s story is not about career recovery. It’s about remembering who you are—even when the world tries to define you by your last title, paycheck, or performance review.

Her evolution invites us to consider our own.

Here are three powerful steps you can take to begin to write your next chapter:

1. Stop Doing What Drains You

It takes courage to walk away from something that looks good on the outside but depletes you on the inside. But the longer you stay in rooms where your presence is tolerated instead of celebrated, the further you drift from your own power.

2. Start Listening to Your Inner Voice

The world will always have opinions. But there’s a knowing deep inside you that’s been calling to you for far too long. It’s not asking you to start from scratch. It’s inviting you to realign. To remember. To trust yourself again.

3. Live in Alignment with What You Truly Want

You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you do need to stop pretending you’re okay with a life that no longer reflects who you’ve become. The truth? You’ve outgrown it. And that’s not failure. That’s growth.

You Don’t Need to Wait for Permission

Joy moved on to her next in under six months—not because she had a perfect plan, but because she had clarity, conviction, and a willingness to choose herself.

You can do the same.

Even if you’re not ready to make a drastic move…You can begin telling the truth.
Even if you don’t know what the next chapter holds…You can decide this isn’t the final one.
Even if you feel like too much time has passed…You can still reclaim what matters most.

Here’s the thing:

Life is too short—and too precious—to keep doing work that drains you or living in stories that no longer feel like yours.

So ask yourself:

What would shift if you gave yourself permission to live the life you’ve been longing for?