Confidence in the Chaos: I Quit a Dream Job—And Found Myself

Jiillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, at the height of confidence while building and launching LemonRose Golf.  Photo Credit: Pel Productions photographer Dylan Eddinger.

Confidence can be found in the most unlikely places. For me, it came after quitting a massive, successful career and starting over from scratch.

I'm a big mindset person. I can face a challenge head-on and think: Game on. I have strength, power, confidence, and a damn good inner drive to accomplish whatever I set my mind to.

But I didn’t always.

I spent nearly 20 years appearing on television screens across the country—even around the world. And during that time, I lacked the one thing most people assumed I had in abundance: confidence. Funny how that works, right? In my experience, the people who seem the most confident often aren't. I don’t have a clear answer for why I lacked it, but I did. I never truly felt at home in that life. Something always felt a little off. I didn't really find my confidence until I left my career in broadcast journalism and walked out on my own.

PHOTO 1: Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, covering news from Atlanta in 2020.

PHOTO 2: Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, covering national and international news from New York City in 2021.

PHOTO 3: Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, covering Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

PHOTO 4: Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, covering the Philadelphia Eagles practice in 2015.

PHOTO 5: Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, covering the Belmont Stakes in 2015.

March 15, 2023. That was the day I stepped out of a newsroom into the unknown. It was a bright, sunny, warm spring day in Philadelphia. I looked up at the sky and thought: I did it. Now what?! People always say to have your ducks in a row before making a move like that. I didn’t even have a duck in sight.

Cue the fear, doubt, and worry. But also: inspiration, creativity, and excitement. I became an entrepreneur without a clue what that really meant. I had a mortgage. I had bills. I had pressure. So, I jumped right in. No turning back.

Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, working later into the night to get the business launched successfully (with her dog Levi always by her side).

Over the last few years, I’ve grown exponentially. I’ve learned that the entrepreneurial mindset is equal parts thrilling and challenging. I work harder now than I ever have—but I do it on my own terms. My success is on me. It hasn’t been easy. Some months, I’m financially strapped. Some days, I work 25 hours (business owners, you get it). And I’ve questioned whether I can keep doing this five million times.

But in the chaos, my confidence grew.

Now look at me, with my dream job!  Co-Founder of LemonRose Golf designing apparel that I hope makes you feel confident and beautiful each and every day.  Read the blog titled "Fashion Has Entered the Chat (and the Golf Course): Here's Our Why)."

Jillian Mele, Co-founder of LemonRose Golf, working literally everywhere to ensure a successful launch of the business, even at dinner with co-founder Kristen Casey, with wine in hand.

The more I recognized that growth, the more I began to ask: Why?

Why, during the most financially uncertain time of my life, did I feel the most confident? Why, when I couldn’t even figure out my job title or business structure, did I feel calm and powerful?
The answer: I had finally learned to step into discomfort with intention. I was growing, and I could feel it.

That’s when I created something I now call: The ARC of Confidence—a simple but powerful framework based on three steps:

A: Act

Confidence begins with action. You can’t become good at tennis if you never pick up a racket. You can’t become a confident speaker if you never step onto a stage. And you sure as heck can’t expect to hit a great golf shot without swinging a club. Action is the only way forward.

Let me take you back to 2005 in Presque Isle, Maine. I had just been hired as a weekend sports anchor and weekday news reporter. It was my first time going live on television.

With about a minute to go, I was practically shaking. I hear a voice in my ear: "Don’t forget to use the foot pedal for the teleprompter."

They toss it to me. I freeze. The teleprompter isn’t moving.

"The pedal! The pedal!" someone shouts in my ear.

I snap out of it, find the pedal, and keep going. Truthfully? I blacked out the rest of the segment. But I never forgot that pedal again.

That’s why so many TV journalists start in small markets—to make mistakes, get the reps, and grow. Confidence doesn’t show up first. Action does.

Jillian Mele, co-founder of LemonRose Golf, anchoring at her first job after college in Presque Isle, Maine in 2005.

R: Reflect

Once you act, the next step is often skipped: reflection.

Most people rush past it. We don’t take time to ask: What worked? What didn’t? What did I learn? But this is where true growth happens.

For the first few years on TV, I refused to watch myself back. I couldn’t stand how I looked or sounded. Eventually, I gave in. And when I did? Everything changed. I saw where I could improve. I watched my delivery evolve. I got better.

Today, as a business owner, I reflect daily—on the wins, the stumbles, and everything in between. That honest self-check creates momentum.

C: Celebrate

This step is often forgotten. Once we act and if we reflect, we quickly move on. But it’s essential to celebrate the progress.
The wins, yes. But also, the lessons. The pivots. The growth.

Celebration looks different for everyone. Maybe it’s a glass of wine, a walk around the block, or a weekend away. Whatever it is—do it.

Not because everything is perfect. But because you are evolving.

Evolve or Repeat Mindset

One of my favorite quotes is: “You are given two choices each day: evolve or repeat.”

For a long time, I was stuck on repeat.
Wake up. Go to work. Go home.
Wake up. Go to work. Go home.
Sound familiar?

Eventually, that cycle becomes a trap. It keeps us safe, sure. But it also keeps us complacent. We stop thriving.

So, ask yourself: What’s my next growth spot? What challenge can I take on?

If you want more from life, you don’t need permission. You need a step forward. Try something new. Pick up a golf club. Try yoga. Take a cooking class. Do something—anything—that awakens you.

When you act, you gain experience. When you reflect, you gain awareness. When you celebrate, you gain energy.

That’s my ARC of Confidence.
And it might just change your life—if you let it.

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