Flight Status: Returned

On connection, control, and what happens when the journey changes midair

If you’ve been here a while, you know that flying isn’t really my favorite thing anymore.
And yet—paradoxically—I do love to travel. I love being with people, connecting in real life.

Which is how I found myself on my first work trip in my new role.

About thirty minutes into the flight, the captain comes on and calmly announces that we’ve lost automatic flight control.
“Don’t worry,” he says. “We can control the plane manually.”

Not exactly the sentence you want to hear midair.

He goes on to explain that it’s not safe to continue to our destination, so we’ll be turning around and heading back to Denver. I had already sensed something was off during ascent—it felt like pressing the gas while still in neutral.

With my pregame mimosa in hand (excellent timing), smooth skies, and a surprising amount of calm, I sat there as we slowly made our way back to the ground, emergency vehicles waiting for us on landing.

My mom was not okay with this plan and strongly encouraged me to cancel the entire trip. But I knew I wanted to try again. The airline assured us they had a fully functioning new plane.

Here’s the thing: in that shared gut-check experience, the passengers and crew became bonded. We went through something together—slightly terror-inducing, yes—but also connective. Even once we were safely on the ground, there was a sense of togetherness in the air.

So imagine my surprise when one of the passengers from that flight showed up in my work meeting the next day (after thankfully a successful second attempt). Another unexpected moment of connection. Turns out we live about 30 minutes from each other.

As we head into the holiday season—and hopefully find moments to unplug and reflect—I hope you find small ways to connect with the people who matter most to you. Even ten minutes of fully focused attention can go a long way.

2025 has felt like one of the longest years. And even with so many truly remarkable moments, it hasn’t been easy.

Here’s to new beginnings on the horizon. 🥂

For the world needs who we were made to be!

Cheers!

Jenn

P.S. My final podcast interview of my 2025 book tour went live this week and it’s a fun one.