If the recent economic tides have you thinking of making a change, you might find some inspiration in our latest web project, Starting Over.

We talked to people all over the country who were forced or encouraged or inspired to change their careers and start down a new path. You can listen to their voices and read what they’ve learned from the experience. Here are a few of the comments:

• “I have been liberated, hopefully forever, from the idea of employment as something that is given to you, rather than something you create for yourself. We have the ability to create a livelihood based on what we’re good at, what we love to do, and the kind of lifestyle we want to live.”

• “I have allowed my identity to shift rather than standing rigidly, determined to be who I was (or thought I was: personal chef, successful business woman, etc.). I have stopped knocking on the doors that closed behind me and turned to look at what is in front of me.”

• “I was unemployed for the first time, I was 51…. I’m still out of my comfort zone, financially and otherwise, but the roads of the past 30 years have led me to a major turning point — one I think will lead to greater things ahead.”

• “There is opportunity in crisis, and this crisis has allowed me the chance to think broadly about what’s important to me, what brings me satisfaction, and what I want my life to look like. Given stable circumstances, I would not have been challenged to renegotiate my relationship with the world around me.”

I love the attitudes!

Please, feel free to share your own story. And if you haven’t taken the plunge but have been thinking about it, I’d love to hear about your thought process.