Why I Quit My 8-5 Job
Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.
You guys, I did it! One month ago today was my last day working my corporate, 8-5 job. The job I once loved and was so passionate about. A job with wonderful benefits at a great company. So, you may be wondering why I chose to leave such a great gig? If I’m being completely transparent with you all, I just wasn’t happy anymore. I didn’t love what I was doing. I used to be so excited about my position and going to work every day, but after I had my daughter, Kinsley 18 months ago, all of that changed. Idreaded going to work. The whole “Sunday Scaries” concept eventually turned into a daily battle I was being forced to fight head-on. I was so unhappy. I didn’t know what to do.
What I did know is that I needed to find a job that I was excited about. I wanted to dive into a career where I was able to do something that I loved, while also giving me that creative outlet I so needed. When I was wedding planning, I truly loved the entire process. The planning, the organizing…all the tiny in-between details that some people might loathe…I loved.
So, I decided to start working on my website, which eventually led to helping friends plan their big days! I was so excited about what I was doing that I decided I wanted to start offering my services to others. For once, something that I loved spending my time doing didn’t feel like work at all. I kept finding myself almost in disbelief and thinking “Is this normal?!”
I launched my business shortly after my very own wedding last September and had already managed to book a few weddings almost instantly. At this point I was still working my corporate 8-5 job, all the while somehow staying up every night working on design plans and details, updating my website, figuring out timelines and doing whatever possible to ensure that my brides’ big days would bring as little stress to their lives as possible.
I quickly knew this was what I wanted to do full-time. I also knew my business was nowhere near ready and I certainly was not where I wanted to be yet. I knew if I wanted to be successful on this path and truly give it my all, I would have to be able to give my clients my full attention. February 15th was the day I decided to quit my job of seven years. Yes, I gave up 100%-free health insurance for my entire family, my paid-time-off and 401K. I didn’t have some grand, articulated plan laid out yet, but what I did do was make a promise to myself that I was going to do absolutely everything possible to crush it with my new business venture. Sure, do I miss having a consistent pay check? Absolutely. However the past 2 months have proved the saying “money can’t buy you happiness” to be truer than I ever thought possible. This was the kind of career path I had been daydreaming about every day while sitting at my old desk depressed and miserable, wishing I was brave enough to take the leap of faith to go after the things I was passionate about. My husband has bent over backwards to support me on this new adventure and has stepped up not only as a partner and best friend, but a husband and father in more ways than I could have ever imagined.
To say that I’m happier today than I have been in ages would be an understatement. I don’t wake up every morning feeling anxious and dreading the day that lies ahead of me. I now get to wake up and hug and kiss my husband and snuggle our sweet little girl a little extra, which that in itself is enough to turn any bad day around. What I’m trying to get at here is that if you have something you love and are passionate about, don’t waste your days wishing your days away. Go after what you want right now in this moment! Will it be easy? Of course not. But like the saying goes, “Nothing worth having ever comes easy”
xoxo,
Karla