I have to admit that I am not extremely well-versed in the realm of social media. In truth, I’m a very private person who has always loathed the over-sharing that lends itself to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Yet, here I am… tasked with writing my first blog because, in my infinite wisdom, I’ve chosen to make a major mid-life career transition.
Who would ever believe that my driven, workaholic self would walk away from a career that I had painstakingly invested nearly 20 years of my life into. And it was painstaking. I didn’t walk into the C-Suite, I worked my way up from the bottom and paid plenty of dues along the way. But finally, I was where I wanted to be… I had the corner office, a great salary, a reputation in my industry, and the power to call the shots. I was so immersed in my work that I never even realized I wasn’t happy… and then I went to Paris on vacation for two weeks. Just me and my girlfriend… no husbands, no kids, no family obligations, no spreadsheets, no emails, no responsibilities whatsoever. It was glorious, and it was also the start of a lot of soul-searching.
Somewhere along the line in the last 12 months, I realized that I was utterly miserable and there wasn’t enough wine or chocolate in the world to fix it. Maybe mid-life crises are real or, maybe menopause actually does make women crazy. Whatever the case may be, I decided it was time to do something that I truly love instead of something I’m simply good at… so I quit.
Don’t think it was an easy choice, and don’t think that it doesn’t scare the hell out of me. Change is one of humanity’s common denominators… whether you choose it or it’s forced upon you, the unknown is scary for all of us. But it can also be extremely liberating. Having the opportunity to embrace a new role and step out of our comfort zones, to really stretch as individuals and realize what we are capable of achieving can be thrilling. We are each born with so much potential and then society has a way of leeching the bravery right out of us. Safety and security become habits and we end up living a life of “should haves”. Success is never a given, but having the courage to try makes it all worthwhile.
I have no idea where this journey will take me… but being happy in the moment and having no regrets because I dared to follow my heart makes it one hell of a ride. And ultimately, because I was true to myself, I will end up exactly where I’m meant to be and that is life’s most valuable lesson.