Close Your Eyes and Jump!
Queen Me shares . . .
While preparing for a radio interview, I had an opportunity to reflect on the changes that have occurred in my life. The listening audience, a group of “working-at-home” moms, sparked my interest in doing so. Since 2000, I have been what they are. My desire to work from home pre-dates organizations like WAHM (Working At Home Moms). Even prior to having the title Mom, I knew that I had to have my own business. Be my own boss. I really can’t explain why, but the world of traditional employment didn't work for me. For fifteen years, I tried to figure out how to escape or how to change my feelings. Nothing worked. Nothing! I read really great books by really great authors like Richard Boles and Barbara Sher. But, for some reason couldn’t figure out how to dig out of the place I found myself. Part of my dilemma involved money. Yikes! We needed more and of course, I needed to contribute. Driven by the notion that if only I looked hard enough, I would find my right occupation, I trudged on—and, got nowhere.
With each passing year, though, I found myself closer to solving the problem. At one point, I finally quit denying that I loved to write. Another time, I completely understood my burning desire to help others. As I turned over stones and investigated options, I eventually found one shoe that sort of fit. Eureka!
In 1995, I discovered the business of résumé writing. I noticed it, but ignored it. I continued to move on to other jobs in higher education and the nonprofit sector. As I made my way, I ended up finding what I considered to be my perfect job—Career Counselor at a local community college. My joy lasted for about six months, if that long. But while hanging out, I honed my “career counseling” skills and filed away many resources. On some level, I knew that I would need the information again. And, I did.
After one more attempt to find the right job, I found myself ready to close my eyes and jump. Reaching the highest point possible at work (based on the degree I had), I sorrowfully realized I had made the wrong choice. The impressive job with its even more impressive title most definitely wasn’t the right answer. By this time, I had earned the “Mom” title and any left over energy was spent on my two-year-old child. So, that’s when I crashed and burned. That’s when I decided to stop. Took a deep breath and quit. Without a plan and knowing full well that I desperately needed to continue to bank my share of the cash, I took my life back. I was scared. I was frightened. No, I was crazy! What was I thinking? I had tried this so many times before. Why did I think that this time would be different? Why?
Even in hindsight, I can’t answer that. Age? Experience? Sudden courage? I don’t know. But, no matter, the day I took charge and pledged to play the game differently, my life changed too. I pulled out the business plan I had carried around in my briefcase for two years. I called a former boss and got an old part-time job back. I shared my plan with another lady who ended up being my partner. Within two months of starting the new business, we made money. Within four months, I made more money than I had before in fewer hours and with less stress. For a short time, I was a happy-stay-at-home Mom.
After two years, it turned out, I had written one résumé too many. Yep. I was burned out without the crashing. The timing was perfect and coincided with my daughter’s first day of full-time school. So, the week my daughter started school, I dropped all my contracts, took a part-time consulting job and focused on writing. Finally, I gave myself permission to pursue what I really wanted. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a breeze. I had to learn the trade. I had to put myself out there. I had to do things that frightened me. I even had to convince myself that I could call myself a writer. In the end, I won. So, in 2005 . . . this is where I find myself.
And, I can't help myself and must say, Ah yes, it’s good to be queen!
While preparing for a radio interview, I had an opportunity to reflect on the changes that have occurred in my life. The listening audience, a group of “working-at-home” moms, sparked my interest in doing so. Since 2000, I have been what they are. My desire to work from home pre-dates organizations like WAHM (Working At Home Moms). Even prior to having the title Mom, I knew that I had to have my own business. Be my own boss. I really can’t explain why, but the world of traditional employment didn't work for me. For fifteen years, I tried to figure out how to escape or how to change my feelings. Nothing worked. Nothing! I read really great books by really great authors like Richard Boles and Barbara Sher. But, for some reason couldn’t figure out how to dig out of the place I found myself. Part of my dilemma involved money. Yikes! We needed more and of course, I needed to contribute. Driven by the notion that if only I looked hard enough, I would find my right occupation, I trudged on—and, got nowhere.
With each passing year, though, I found myself closer to solving the problem. At one point, I finally quit denying that I loved to write. Another time, I completely understood my burning desire to help others. As I turned over stones and investigated options, I eventually found one shoe that sort of fit. Eureka!
In 1995, I discovered the business of résumé writing. I noticed it, but ignored it. I continued to move on to other jobs in higher education and the nonprofit sector. As I made my way, I ended up finding what I considered to be my perfect job—Career Counselor at a local community college. My joy lasted for about six months, if that long. But while hanging out, I honed my “career counseling” skills and filed away many resources. On some level, I knew that I would need the information again. And, I did.
After one more attempt to find the right job, I found myself ready to close my eyes and jump. Reaching the highest point possible at work (based on the degree I had), I sorrowfully realized I had made the wrong choice. The impressive job with its even more impressive title most definitely wasn’t the right answer. By this time, I had earned the “Mom” title and any left over energy was spent on my two-year-old child. So, that’s when I crashed and burned. That’s when I decided to stop. Took a deep breath and quit. Without a plan and knowing full well that I desperately needed to continue to bank my share of the cash, I took my life back. I was scared. I was frightened. No, I was crazy! What was I thinking? I had tried this so many times before. Why did I think that this time would be different? Why?
Even in hindsight, I can’t answer that. Age? Experience? Sudden courage? I don’t know. But, no matter, the day I took charge and pledged to play the game differently, my life changed too. I pulled out the business plan I had carried around in my briefcase for two years. I called a former boss and got an old part-time job back. I shared my plan with another lady who ended up being my partner. Within two months of starting the new business, we made money. Within four months, I made more money than I had before in fewer hours and with less stress. For a short time, I was a happy-stay-at-home Mom.
After two years, it turned out, I had written one résumé too many. Yep. I was burned out without the crashing. The timing was perfect and coincided with my daughter’s first day of full-time school. So, the week my daughter started school, I dropped all my contracts, took a part-time consulting job and focused on writing. Finally, I gave myself permission to pursue what I really wanted. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a breeze. I had to learn the trade. I had to put myself out there. I had to do things that frightened me. I even had to convince myself that I could call myself a writer. In the end, I won. So, in 2005 . . . this is where I find myself.
And, I can't help myself and must say, Ah yes, it’s good to be queen!
posted by Allyn Evans at 3:26 PM
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