Life Update: The Next Chapter
Sometimes life gives us exactly what we need, exactly when we need it. It can be hard to recognize. Life crashes in on us in frenzied waves. It feels like we’re drowning. But when we slow down, count our blessings, and breathe—often, we find that we are surrounded with everything that we need.
The past couple of years have been a roller coaster for me. In September 2010 I left my career in association management and hopped on a plane to Paris. I pursued my passion for motivational speaking. I traveled around the country for speaking engagements & had an amazing time. It was an incredible experience but I realized that motivational speaking is not for me—at least not full-time. I will continue to book “select” speaking engagements but I don’t want to make a career of it.
I also thought about going back to school to become a teacher. I have my Bachelor’s degree in English Writing and felt that teaching would be a great fit. I’m getting married in June and with each day that passes I become more of a homebody. I love our little home on our little mountain. Teaching would offer me a good schedule, close to home and I could focus on English language and literature—things that I am passionate about. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that jumping through the graduate school hoops and acquiring more debt less than a year before I get married/try to start a family, isn’t such a great idea.
For all of these reasons and a few others, I started job hunting about six months ago. I found out that the job market is as terrible as everybody says it is. I had a really hard time getting even a call back. Friends and family tried to help but nothing was panning out. I had a job but it wasn’t sustainable for the long-term and my finances were slipping deeper into the red every month.
Then one day I heard about an opening at an association not too far away. When I read the job description I was floored to find that it was so similar to what I’d been doing for the three years after graduating college that I was, indeed, the perfect candidate. I scored an interview and the rest was history. Tomorrow (by the time this is posted it will be today) is my first day at the new job.
Just when I started to feel scared and confused, the Universe opened a beautiful new door for me. There are so many wonderful things about this new opportunity. I will be getting to work with volunteers again which is something that I truly love to do and am very good at. It is a step up professionally (a mid-senior level position) and I will be making a nice salary which will allow me to pay down my student loan debt (within a year if I practice a frugal lifestyle!).
There is a small part of me that worries about going back into the Monday to Friday cubicle nation, but in the end, I know that this is exactly what I need at this stage in my life’s journey. I have learned so much about myself in the last two years that I do not run the risk of falling into the auto-pilot, corporate zombie lifestyle. Conscious, thoughtful living is a part of me now. I am so excited about this next chapter of my path! Wish me luck, friends.
xo,
Dena
What a great attitude to go into a new job with. You recognize a situation and take the best option available and find just the right thing for you. Wishing you much good luck knowing that with your good attitude, you will make your own luck.
This is exciting! Go Dena! I hope it’s a great fit and allows you to grow and be yourself and offer all your gifts as you’ve been wanting to do!
Congratulations Dena! Hope to follow.
It’s inspiring to read that you had the courage to leave your job to try something like motivational speaking. I’m always afraid I’m never going to have the courage to do that, to really try to get out of there and try new career paths, but I think I should trust the universe a little 😉
Best of luck, hope you love it!
This is going to be a great year for you, definitely! Everyone seems to be having these realigning life 2.0 moments. Love it.
Dena, congratulations! This organization is so fortunate to have you, and I know it sets your mind at ease. I’ve sensed your desire to feel settled for a while, and I’m so happy you found the perfect opportunity.
Sounds like things are really going great for you. Best of luck Dena!! I always love reading about what people are doing, about to do and that they are loving it!
So happy for you. I’d wish you luck but you don’t need it – you make your own. <3
I hope that your new job is going well, Dena. If not, it will just add to your current body of evidence and help you flourish in the future.