I have made some major decisions in my life over the last week. Of course the main one being the start of a new job. For maybe the first time ever, and possibly the only time (and I hope he enjoyed it), I asked my husband to play devil’s advocate when it came to accepting, countering or declining a job offer. For the first time ever, my changing jobs impacts more than just me. It impacts this whole little family we have created. He asked some typical questions such as how much is the offer for, what future opportunities exist, will I have flexible hours, can I start at the beginning of July and will I still be able to take our Disney vacation in August. All questions that were answered at some point during the interview process. It came down to the commute. Savage to Minneapolis is no easy task (for those out of state or country just plug Savage, MN into Google Maps and get directions to Downtown Minneapolis). If that was THE only thing that was holding you back, would you let it? My answer to that was a resounding NO. It is a great opportunity with a great company and I am BOUNCING off the walls with excitement.
Announcing my departure at my current company is what really calmed my nerves over my decision. I think anyone who has spent 5 solid, loyal years with a company would wonder if they are making the right choice in walking away, but it wasn’t a big deal around here and frankly it seems as though everyone was expecting it. As with any job, there were things that I couldn’t stand (drama, no flexibility) but there were also things I loved (location, the people). The one thing they couldn’t offer is career advancement and for me, that is a deal breaker. Of course it would have been easy to keep the same job and do the same thing year after year, but that just isn’t in me. I am driven and need to have change in my environment to keep my mind and my skills fresh. I was ready for a change. I’m proud of the work I have done and the relationships I have cultivated. I am happy to say I can walk away with my head held high.
It’s weird cleaning out 5 years of work. Old memos and projects that you wonder how they ever got signed off on because they look so terrible. Old e-mails with friends. Ultrasound pictures. Jack’s birth announcement. The last 5 years have been a massive life change for me. This job has seen me through infertility, building and moving to a new home, the miracle of my child, the miracle of my dear friend’s child and two of my bestest friends getting married. That girl who started here 5 years ago? I don’t even recognize her. After my resignation was announced today, a colleague came in to give me a hug and said, “Wow. You are really like a whole different person.” I even look entirely different than I did when I started here.
TODAY |
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May 2008 (I was 4.5 months preggo here…) |
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Me in the cream sweater- November 2007. Eating. Shocking. |
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That is me on the lower left. November 2008- 2 months postpartum. |
Is change kind of scary? It sure is. I know I’m not going to like being the new kid on the block all over again. It has been 5 years since I’ve worked in large, matrix environment and I’m nervous I won’t remember how to maneuver. I’m scared of mass transit (almost as much as I’m afraid of Wal Mart).
But you know what? I am definitely more excited than I am scared. I’m excited to work in the big city. I’m excited to go to the Farmer’s Market on Nicollet Mall. I’m excited to take on a new challenge and knock it out of the park. I’m excited to start new relationships. I’m excited to have a clean slate. I’m excited to work for an employer that isn’t requiring me to “punch a time clock” but simply expect me to do my job. I am… EXCITED.
I am also happy that I am taking some time out for me. I will have a glorious week and a half off between jobs and am looking forward to having some true ME time. Pretty sure I earned it!