I quit

Today’s a big day. Huge, in fact. The absence of blog posts over the last two weeks was due, in large part, to preparing for the “big/huge thing.”

I drafted the letter weeks ago. I thumb over the copy that’s printed on my desk, my new signature freshly inked at the bottom. Perhaps, the act of drafting the letter is what allowed the universe to hear me in the first place. Law of attraction and whatnot. And now the day has finally come. It doesn’t feel real yet. “Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning from my position…” 

I started at my job over 2,900 days ago…a few days shy of the eight-year mark. It’s afforded me some of the most incredible experiences and opportunities. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start my career.

Change is both paralyzing and freeing. 

All at once, a weight has been lifted. I am moving forward in all phases of my life now and it feels incredible and scary at the same time. Change is uncomfortable and as humans, we do everything we can to avoid that discomfort. It’s what keeps us from getting out of bed in the morning or deciding to end a relationship or change jobs.

In a few weeks, I’ll be starting something completely new. New colleagues, new commute, new routines. I guess it’s time to get a little uncomfortable.

I wrote about the power of mentors a few weeks ago and I’ll be touching on the power of leaning on your friend-tribe in an upcoming post. I am unbelievably lucky in that I’ve had an amazing support system through all of this. To every person who cheered me on or told me not to give up, I can’t thank you enough. I wouldn’t want to do any of this without you.

There’s no better time for me to start a new adventure than now. Some days it feels like change has become my new normal. In some ways, that makes me feel more prepared to move and adapt to the changing landscape of my life. Tell me, dear reader, how do you remain flexible in the wake of big changes? Any and all advice is welcome in the comments below ❤️ Maybe I’ll dive into some more yoga over the coming weeks to stay mindful and grounded.

While I can’t tell exactly what this next phase of my life will look like, I know that I simply can’t wait to share this next part of my journey with you.

Reconnecting

The other night I had dinner with a former professor of mine. I originally reached out to her for some career advice, suggesting coffee or drinks now that I was living back in the area. Though we hadn’t spoken in over a year, she was happy to meet with me. That night she arrived with the sweetest gift. The inscription in the book she gave said everything it needed to.

I shouldn’t have been surprised that this always-prepared powerhouse did a little sleuthing before our meetup. She found out I was getting a divorce and came armed with all of the love and support. We drank and ate and laughed for hours. She regaled me with tales from her career and gave me some phenomenal advice. I left that night feeling empowered and so grateful.

Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.

– John C. Crosby

At this point in my career and personal life, having a solid network of mentors feels super important. At first, I  was hesitant to reach out to potential mentors because I didn’t want to “bother” anyone. I’ve come to understand that when these relationships are genuine they are mutually beneficial. Now, I’m making an effort to reach out to folks that I respect and admire, even if it’s for a ten-minute chat session.

Though I’m working hard on being my own champion, it never hurts to have a handful of phenomenal people in your corner.