Why I left | Part 1

Well, this is incredibly overdue. As many of you know, I left my job. Yup, after careful consideration — I took a leap of faith. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the importance of pursuing happy over a paycheck. This decision didn’t come overnight, and my only regret is not doing it sooner.

Personally, I hit a breaking point at 28. I felt so lost, you guys. Like, depression lost. It started to interfere with my family, friends and most importantly — my relationship. I’ve never been the ‘career-climbing’ kinda gal, and have always felt content in corporate. Disclosure: I hate feeling content. (One of the many reasons Heart of Chic was born) I’m also the gal who really values relationships, and when you’re working 40+ hour weeks, while balancing a blog — it’s really exhausting. (oh, and it gets old really quickly, as many of you already know!).

So what was my breaking point? 

Well, technically it was a file-folder. The file-folder that got temporarily misplaced, which resulted in a very angry manager. It was in that very moment — I decided to leave. (Ha, as much as I wanted to walk out, I gave my notice 2 days later). Now, that I’ve had some time to process these events; it wasn’t about the file-folder. It was about finding myself again. It was about standing up to corporate, and saying ‘you know what, I don’t need you’ and I’m going to be just fine. Just because someone is in power, does not give them the right to be an insolent asshole. It was honestly in that moment where I found myself again. The thought of leaving corporate gave me a breath of fresh air.

What now? 

I found a part-time position that allows me to work remotely, and set my own hours. I don’t have to ask for days off, and I can take lunch whenever I want! (Wahooooo!) For me, flexibility is key. I’m also a weekly contributor to WhitneyPort.com, and have another exciting collaboration on the way! PS: It is possible to have a full-time job, blog & make dreams happen —Just make sure it’s a full-time job you enjoy, since that’s where most of your energy is going. By the time I got home, I was physically/mentally exhausted, and had zero motivation to work on my passions. That was a big problem for me — no wonder I was so miserable! I was selling my soul for a paycheck. That’s when I realized that my happiness was more important than a salary.

I know what you’re thinking:

I live with my boyfriend, so yes — I have some help. But, regardless of my situation, I would have done it either way. Life is all about rolling with the punches, and sometimes, you have to take a few steps back before you can accelerate forward. (Just takes some re-arranging)

I’m a risk taker, friends. I’m capable of so much more than what corporate can offer me. I’m intelligent. I’m hard-working. I’m passionate. I’m caring. I’m bold. I’m relentless. I’m an entrepreneur at heart. I have so many business ideas to play with! Oh, and life is too short to be unhappy.

A few honest truths: 

There are no guaranteed paychecks in this business. I work my ass off, and it’s for a small price. (like, microscopic). I don’t get paid for time off, and I’ve had to cut back, a ton. (Thanks for having my back, Forever 21!) I’m not going to lie, there are plenty of days that I miss that paycheck (with the benefits! Holy shit-balls, it’s expensive) & don’t even get me started on the self-employment tax! (Sorry to bore you with the details, but this is all new to me).

I knew that if I didn’t make the jump now, I never would. I didn’t want to look back with regret, and uncertainty. The time is now! Closin’ it out with Tupac — ‘Reality is wrong, dreams are for real’ — Go chase that shit! XX

{TO BE CONTINUED}