Lane Changer - Emma Simpson, from taxiway to writing terminal
Emma and I enjoy a night out with other retreat -goers
Bet you don’t know an air traffic controller turned writer. I certainly didn’t until Emma Simpson and I met at the Ireland Writers Retreat last summer. When I conceived of this lane changer series, it was a no-brainer to reconnect with her by video at her home in England so I can share her remarkable story.
Emma left uni with a degree in Maths in her early 20s. After seeing the world a bit working in a travel agency, she saw a posting for an air traffic controller. “I can do that,” she thought, not realizing people tried for these positions and failed again and again. High-achieving and uber-confident, Emma applied and got hired.
For two decades, Simpson loved the role, not fazed by the high stress or the gruelling shift work. She married a firefighter she met through her work and her high salary allowed them the life many dream of - two daughters, big house, travel, the works.
Emma’s first child was born with neonatal meningitis. The double-whammy of her brother’s sudden death soon after took its toll on her mental health. She was treated with anti-depressants, disqualifying her from an operational role as an air traffic controller. She moved to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, where she found her stride as Head of Innovation. Developing people around her to be their professional best became one of her strengths so she studied coaching to help her in her job.
But while her mental health rebounded, her physical health declined. Simpson gravitated to two things to counter the fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome that had her flat out for periods of time: open water swimming and writing. (Pay attention - this combo is important.)
In January 2020, she took an unpaid sabbatical to get her physical health in check. She continued her coaching studies, and with her sister, who was also seeking a professional lane change, offered coaching services. The timing was good - the pandemic had many seeking professional support to change lanes.
Within a year, Emma had figured out a way to leave the air traffic control world completely and go into business with her sister. To do so, of course, required a significant change for the Simpson family. In an ‘ah-ha’ moment during a couple’s therapy session, Emma and her husband realized they could downsize from their big-salary house. She says was this was the best decision they’ve ever made. Even their girls, pre-teens at the time, adapted easily . They saw in their mother a new lightness. I can confirm it - living smaller simplifies life in all the right ways.
Emma and her sister ran a coaching business for three years, producing a bit of income but nothing like her previous one. One pattern she observed among her clients: people worried that the financial hit of taking a flyer on a life-change would be devastating. But she’d already done that and life was better! Coaching had Emma putting all her emotional energy into her clients though and it began to feel like work. She wanted a chance to focus instead on herself, her family, and what she wanted to do. Through coaching others, she coached herself out of coaching.
At the same time, she was doing more open water swimming and writing. She recalls chatting with swimmers who were training for an English Channel crossing. One asked what she did for a living. Instead of saying “I used to be an air traffic controller,” she surprised herself by saying “I’m a writer.” (I know how she felt - I recently replied to a stranger using the same satisfying yet discombobulating words.)
Emma’s response led to a gig writing about those open water swimmers. Coaching hadn’t provided the kind of joy she felt interviewing and writing those profiles. Her sister was keen to wind down their business too. Presto, at age 48, Emma’s swimming in a new lane.
Inspired by the stories of the Channel swimmers, Emma started interviewing people all over the world about their open water experiences. Before long, she had a book concept, an agent, and a signed a book deal. (It can happen!) Since Breaking Waves: Discovery, Healing and Inspiration in the Open Water came out in March, photos from her social media show an energized, jubilant Emma at interviews, appearances, book festivals, and readings, up and down the UK. Oh sure, her physical health still means the pace can be brutal. But this is the lane she’s meant to be in.
When I asked Emma about the impact of her new life on her girls, she reported one of her teenagers switched from studying film and media to animal management, delaying her entry into post-secondary by a year. I get why Emma’s proud of this - everyone should feel empowered to leave a lane that’s not the right one, whatever their age.
It’s that feeling of agency that’s important to Emma. She could have stayed on at the Civil Aviation Authority, taking sick leave as necessary. But for her own peace of mind and sense of integrity, she didn’t. Like so many of us who’ve seen people die too young, her brother’s death stripped her of a layer of fear, exposing a “fuck it - life’s too short” mentality.
Would Emma have found her writing passion without her illness as a catalyst? She doesn’t think so. She imagines she’d still be toiling away, feeling guilty as a mom with a very busy job. But she’s thrilled this all unfolded as it has - having a good income gave her a solid foundation as well as a small medical pension but starting something exciting in her 50s is pretty great. She’s got four more books planned, including one she dreams of writing while working for a season as a radio operator in Antarctica! So cool.
The books don’t define her though - it’s lane-changing that defines Emma Simpson.
You can follow Emma on Substack at: https://emmasimpsonauthor.substack.com/. Take a look at her website too: https://emmasimpsonauthor.com/ You can buy her book on Amazon or an as e-book through Indigo. I haven’t found a Canadian distributor for hard copy book yet (and therefore haven’t bought it … elbows up).
Missed previous Lane Changer profiles?
Peter Chandler, how it all began for me
Cathy Crowe, her lane is the street
Marissa Bastidas, same lane, new direction
Pam Hudak, living on a multi-lane highwayJennifer, crossing lanes from Phuket to pup-minder
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