Q&A: Heather Turano Talks Regrouping After Rejection

By Milly McKinnish

For nearly 15 years, Heather Turano worked as a graphic designer and creative director for giant companies like eBay, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Spanx. But after realizing she was unhappy, she used her savings and stopped working for a year. After taking a year-long “soul journey,” Turano has found new happiness as a life coach.

Read more about Turano’s total 180-degree career change, why her divorce was a blessing, and how she learned to cope with rejection.

Disclaimer: This interview has been condensed and edited for style and length.

Milly McKinnish: Before becoming a life coach, you were a graphic designer. How did you make this transition?

Heather Turano: I started off as a graphic designer, but I quickly moved up in my career. Having a really crazy, stressful career can really affect you in a negative way if you don’t have a proper alignment. I said, ‘Hey, I have about a year worth of savings, and I can really step back from this career and reevaluate what it is I love and what it is I don’t love.’ So, I did just that. I left my job.

MM: So, I did a little internet stalking. Your LinkedIn has this quote that I really love: “Stop settling for ordinary and get the life, love, and business you really want! I've done it, I’ll show you how.” Can you tell me more about how you transformed your life?

HT: In all aspects of my life, I was under the impression that I had to look a specific way to be successful. From a young age, I was told “this is what success looks like.” You have a good job, you go to college, you get married, you buy a house, you have a family. That’s what you do. I did all that. I was married. I had a great job. I had a lot of money. I traveled the world. What I realized though was that I had all this stuff and I wasn’t happy. I realized I wasn’t living for me. I went from a creative director and user experience director to becoming a life coach. It was a major shift for me. I think by showing that you can fail completely in every aspect of your life, which I’ve done, and picking yourself up and having the life, love, and career that you want just shows everyone that they can do it even on the smallest scale.

MM: Can you tell me how repeated rejection can affect a person?

HT: Oh, goodness. This is a big one. When somebody doesn’t like something you do, it’s not a personal attack on you. It has to do with them. You slowly start to learn that throughout life. When someone rejects you, it has nothing to do with you as a person. It has to do with them.

MM: So, do you think there is a difference between how romantic, career, and social rejection affects a person?

HT: I think it all happens in the same way. You doubt yourself in all rejection. Whether it’s on a career level—when you go in for that job and don’t get it, you’re like, “Hmm, should I be doing this? Am I good enough?” You start to rip yourself apart. In a way, getting divorced is the best thing that ever happened to me.

MM: And how do we not let rejection hurt us so much?

HT: How can we not let rejection hurt? We can’t. That’s the key. It hurts. It’s acknowledging that feeling. It’s not going to be roses all the time. Just that acknowledgment of your feelings is the first step to moving through that hurt. It’s all about sitting in that feeling and moving through it.

MM: You mention on your website that you’re a typical Gemini. Are you a strong believer in astrology?

HT: I do think it plays a big part in my life. I don’t really study it, but when I meet someone and I learn what their sign is, it is like “Oh, okay, that explains it.” I fully embrace that there is a universe that guides us.

MM: Before we go, any parting advice?
HT: Young women need to realize that you can’t do it all. You need a partner in life that sees you fully and you need to take care of yourself first before taking care of everyone else.