Genesis
“When it comes to changing your life, if you’re not scared, you’re doing something wrong. ”
Well folks, I have done what many in the professional world might call "reckless and irresponsible" -- just as my career was beginning to takeoff, I left my perfectly decent and stable job to follow my heart down a road "less traveled by", and I haven't looked back since. (Yes, that was a Robert Frost reference. Cheesy, I know... but applicable!)
It's a strange and unsettling thing to finally reach a goal you've been working toward so diligently for a decade only to find yourself dissatisfied and unhappy. For various reasons I won't go into here, this is precisely where I was last year after completing the grueling task of becoming a licensed Architect. After months of contemplating my sanity, I knew it was time to make a change. A big one. And so I did.
Within a matter of weeks, I gave my notice at work, my husband and I rented our newly purchased (but very old) house out on AirBnb, and we trekked (in a car, on a road - see what I'm doing here?) 2000 miles across the country to South Florida for the winter. Since then, many have asked "what are you doing now?", and "what about your job(s)!?", which of course translates to "have you lost your mind(s)?!" and "you can't "winter" in Florida at 30(something)!".
Oooh, but we did. And it was glorious.
During this time, I was able to hit reset on my career goals and ruminate on the next stage of my professional journey. Half of me thought I would, and really wanted to, run back to my nine-to-five in Denver; back to job security, guaranteed income, health insurance, paid vacations, fun and talented colleagues, happy hours, prestigious sounding job titles... you know, the "American Dream" office job. But with that also comes Mondays, being up before 9 am, boring internal meetings, office politics, arctic-like air conditioning, open seating arrangements (the WORST, amiright fellow introverts?), afternoon drowsiness that cuban coffee can't even touch, sun-shining-day blues, rainy-day blues, wintertime vampire-esque-conditions blues, vacation request approval forms, generally being owned by "the man", and lets not forget desk-job-ass. Tempting as it was, "I doubted if I should ever come back". (yep, I said it)
While it has been difficult to leave my old life behind, I am inspirited by the feeling that this road I am on is going to lead somewhere awesome. After all, "You can't experience new lands from the confines of your comfort zone." (another Jen Sincero gem. Seriously, read her book and be prepared to do crazy sh*t thereafter)
This little (for now?) business of mine is the first stop on my walkabout. (Wait, its a "walkabout" now?? Does one even make stops on a walkabout? These metaphors are getting out of hand.) Here, I invite you along on this journey with me. Jump in and buckle up cause this road ain't paved!
And now, for some parting cheesiness, everyone's favorite poem from 8th grade:
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.*
*yes, I am aware that the true meaning of this poem implies self-deception and/or post-rationalization of one's choices. But maybe thats just what I need right now, m'kay? Get off my back!