Here’s my story. I am well-educated with a BS double major, an MS degree, international experience, 15-20 years as a government contractor, and a mom of three. I also spent 3 hours commuting each day, sat at my desk nose to the grindstone at my computer, AND miserable.
Recently, I made a career change. I love to get up and work. I get to stay home with my kids this summer, go swimming during the day, play badminton in my yard, and do just about anything I want to and have access to. I can even go to the lake nearby and play volleyball. Actually, I’m at Pine Knoll Shores, NC on vacation at the minute. Yet here I am, writing, working, actually–because I want to.
But I’m curious. Why, to some people at least, does my current career choice seem somehow “less” than a “real” job? What do I do? Network marketing, blogging, website maintenance, selling products online, recruiting, and mentoring. And I love it! I really, authentically love what I do. I have a passion for it. I never imagined myself doing this.
And I don’t think I would have ever gotten here without being OPEN. Are you open? Could you make a change like I have? Maybe you love your 9-5 and more power to you. But I, for one, realized that I literally could not sit there at my desk for one more minute. So, one day I did the unthinkable. I packed my things and politely bid adieu. “How unprofessional!” you just said to yourself. I know. I never would have done that in a million years up until that moment. And I admit, I did go back for another month, but by then, I had given my notice of intent to resign.
But I realized that I could not continue to go against what my whole being was telling me–GET OUT before you die here. That’s what it felt like to me. So I took that trite-sounding leap of faith. Of course it wasn’t trite for me, it was the most freeing thing I’ve ever done.
Now, lest you think I recommend walking out of your job with no passion or plan ahead of you, I need to inform you that I started my businesses a year before this leap of mine. But I was open enough to even do that! And in network marketing, online advertising, blogging, no doubt. I left a great job. Good people, meaningful work (or it should have been, but wasn’t for me), good salary. But I realized I was brain-washed into thinking that I had to do what everyone else is doing. That’s just it. It wasn’t for me.
Now, I’m so glad I made the changes that I did. Truly happy even. Challenged, Rewarded, my voice is being heard.
So why is it that some people think that network marketing, selling products online the way I do is somehow “less” — less respectable, cheap, a scam? That I am somehow “less” for doing it? It’s not any of those things for me. It’s one of the best things that I’ve ever created for myself, made happen for myself (with the great help and support of Rory Ricord). Because of these changes, I feel more, I play more, I laugh more, I would go so far as to say I am more–more of myself and who I am meant to be.
So there. I’m just sayin’.
What do you think?