Resilient AF
- allisonsheff
- Jan 19
- 3 min read
Originally published November 16, 2025
If you’ve been around me long enough, you know I’ve had a robustly varied career path. I like learning new things and I get bored easily.
Here’s a small sampling of the roles I’ve taken on over the years:
Lion cub wrangler for Jack Hanna (yes, really)
Tour guide (to say I went off-script would be an understatement)
Old Navy Folding Expert (I can fold a design or a logo into a shelf. Very useful skill.)
Content Management Editor for Brides.com (I described wedding dresses and cake to a computer all day)
Certified postpartum doula
Notary public (fun fact-I’ve only notarized divorces)
Actor, singer, director, producer, writer
Children’s liaison/guardian on Broadway (I was in charge of Joe Jonas)
Server (I have many gifts, serving food is not one of them)
Project manager (ask me about the hoarding house)
Estate manager (ask me about the Mercedes)
Executive assistant (often in accounting departments, which is hilarious because numbers and I are not friends)
Nanny (The reason I didn’t have a kid till I was 41)
Promotional model (I learned how to deal with drunk finance bros very early in life)
Showroom fur model (three seasons… in July… in New York City)
Print model
Was I perfect in all of these positions? Nope. But I learned A LOT. I’ve learned more new skills than I can count. Honestly? It’s exhausting. But here’s the upside: all that pivoting taught me resilience—real, practical, lived-in resilience.
And I think that’s something artists don’t give themselves enough credit for: we are incredibly adaptable. I’ve heard so many people in business say they love hiring artists because we’re disciplined, we work hard, we show up, and we can handle basically anything thrown at us. Because we’ve had to.
And in looking back over this list, I’m smiling. I have so many wonderful memories and met some really incredible people that I am still friends with today. My life would have been so boring if I had followed a traditional career path, and I am so grateful for all the incredible experiences I’ve had, the places I’ve been able to travel to and the people I’ve met.
Which brings me to this week’s episode of Anxiety and the Artist...
Michelle and Kristin know something about resilience too—professionally, personally, and creatively. They founded Danscend to support the mental wellness of dancers, and their stories reflect what it means to grow through change, rather than just bounce back from it.
Whether you’re on your first pivot, your fiftieth, or you’re currently clinging to your identity by a single bobby pin, I hope this episode brings you a little grounding—and maybe a little pride in how far you’ve already come.
With resilience (and a deep breath)
– Allison and the A&A team
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