So hopefully this turns into one of those “I quit my job and now I’m extremely fulfilled and successful” kind of stories because last month I quit my job of 8 years as a web designer at a digital marketing agency.
I left so that John and I could travel before he starts going to nursing school this summer. We have a few adventures planned (and hopefully a few unplanned) that you can keep up with on our new blog: Off to Earth
In the past two years, John has gone from GM of a restaurant, to novelist, to wanting to be a licensed practical nurse at a hospice. The loss of his mom was devastating but brought up an interest in end of life care that he is extremely passionate about.
Watching this transformation continually brought up questions in my own mind: What am I truly passionate about? Am I making a difference for others? Am I even making a difference for myself?
I had been feeling like a dead weight at my job for a while – not that I wasn’t doing a good job or even the best job that I could do at the time, I just always felt like I was coming up short of my own potential, like there was a road block between me and my best.
At this point, having spent only 3 weeks away from my job, I’m still not sure what will remove that road block, but I’m going to be following Tara Stiles’ advice until I figure it out.
Isn’t it funny how hard it is to really know what makes us happy? I’m sure it hasn’t escaped your attention that I’ve struggled with this very thing throughout my life. With 5 major career changes in 30 years of my adult life (since graduating high school) and several intermediate short term jobs for which I had to learn new skills, I’m now embarking on what I hope will be the last and most fulfilling career of my life.
My track record in my personal life has been fraught with just as much uncertainty. But the one thing in my life that has never wavered or caused me any feelings of doubt or unhappiness is bringing you and Jessy into my life and into this world. For me, nothing is more important than our relationship and knowing you are happy and safe. I am so thankful and feel so blessed to have had the great joy of watching you grow and learn and become the wonderful people you are today.
Changing careers is not a bad thing, maybe some of us just need new challenges or have a continuous desire to learn new things. Unfortunately, we need to work to make money to survive and to afford to do the other things we love. The most desirable career would be one that gives us the best of both worlds, that being making a decent salary along with personal fulfillment. Which means I should probably be a forest ranger! Oh well….
You are young and have a lot of years ahead of you. I hope you can search your soul and find a path that makes you happy. (Is there an app for that?)
The only advice I’ll give is, don’t loose the valuable skills you’ve already learned. If you do move into a completely different career, keep up to date on web design. Because one day you may realize it wasn’t so bad after all. Whatever you do, I know you will be great at it.
Love,
Mom
Thanks, momma! 🙂
PS… When I go to Tara’s blog and click the boxes, I don’t see any blog… Just the heading and the box… She needs a better web designer…. ?
Or is it me?