This weeks marks the one year anniversary of me leaving the corporate world to officially pursue my dreams. For those who haven’t been following my journey since the beginning, (hello, you!) I never ever dreamed this would be what I called my job. A lot of people say that, but I mean that with every ounce of my being. I went to college for business, when people asked me what I wanted to be, I would boldly proclaim that I wanted to be a corporate executive in business casuals and stilettos every day. I wanted an office with a window and a position of power.
Special thanks to my beautiful friend Tami for snapping this photo in Seattle!
As I tied up my lovely degree with a double major and minor I was off into the corporate world I had always dreamed about. I was extremely blessed to work with a company of driven individuals and a great culture, I leaped into my position with high hopes and a lot of energy. It was with a few tears that three years later I was announcing that this wasn’t my forever job and that I had dreams that required chasing. While I would never regret my corporate experience I knew it was a life that I couldn’t live forever, my work life balance was non existent and my nights and weekends were often tied up. My body would ache at the end of the day and I often had trouble disconnecting from work, so much so that I would talk in my sleep like I was still there. After a sudden injury that left me on the doctor’s list for surgery, I was wheeled into the operating room to subtract some bone and add a few screws that would permanently hold my foot together, little did I know I would not return the corporate life after all.
After three long months of crutches, bed, and a foot that couldn’t bear a single pound of weight, I had made the decision that I didn’t want that life anymore. I want to do bigger things with my dreams and I owed it to myself to give it my all. All of that time in bed was spent calculating, updating, planning, and praying. I wondered if I would make it, if I would survive, if people would scoff at the fact that I was leaving a consistent salary and benefits. I told myself over and over again that if I didn’t believe in my ability, no one would. As I carefully drafted my two weeks notice, I cried. I cried tears of fear, failure, relief, joy, excitement, and everything in between. I worried about leaving my team behind and saying goodbye to my co-workers, I dreaded cleaning out my office (without a window), I hated the fact that I wasn’t doing what I had once said was what I wanted, but I was oh so hopeful. I believed in the power of doing what I wanted. I believed that in order to do what I wanted, I had to create something that would allow me to pursue the crazy dreams.
“Your dream job doesn’t exist. You must create it.”
That is a bold statement, but think about it. Sitting in your cubical and dreaming of days traveling the world, writing ebooks in coffee shops, photographing orphanages in another country, helping animals find homes… whatever your dream may be, it won’t fall into your lap. I promise you that, you must work, create, ask. Asking for something you believe you deserve isn’t a promised guarantee that you will get it, but sitting there letting life go by is a promise that it may never happen. If you go after something with your whole heart and confident boldness, it may lead you down the path to get there eventually. Sometimes it isn’t a path you ever imagined or envisioned – definitely true in my case, mine certainly isn’t anything I pictured but it is one beautiful journey of self discovery. As I think back to a year ago as a bedridden girl who had wild dreams and a longing that lead out of the corporate world, tears fill my eyes. It has been a roller coaster of a year, it has been filled with joy and heartache, with triumph and pain, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, be bold, and go after what it is you want. If it isn’t out there, create it. In closing, I want to share a bit of my devotional from today, it sums up my year perfectly.
“The sufferings, the trials, the successes, the failures, the amazing, the blessings, the huge wins. Lay them all down. Because they pail in comparison to Him. To His Love. He has seen you from the beginning of time. He has adopted you before the wins and the fails.”
What an inspiring story. You are so brave for starting your career again.
I hope with all my heart that you are rewarded with every happiness .
This is wonderful Jenna! Life is too short to live someone else’s life. Your work is beautiful!
What you say is so true. It’s easy to think that just by quitting your job you will have a perfect life, but it’s still hard work to pursue that dream job. Good on you!
What a difference one year makes! Very happy for you Jenna! Also, great photo Tami!
Congrats on a whole year of living your dreams!!! Dec of last year marked the start of me starting to live mine! Here’s to success and happiness and a life full of dreams:)
Happy Anniversary! How does it feel to be living a dream for this long? lol Great Story!!
It is so amazing how far you’ve come in a year! Preach it, sister!
Isn’t it incredible how powerful it is to be liberated from what society views as “power”. Kudos to you!
I just left my day job in January-Feels good, doesn’t it? Congrats girlie!
Wow. How wonderful! Happy Anniversary! 🙂
Awesome share Jenna! Happy anniversary, life’s short… photog-on!
This is so inspirational – it gives me hope that I can leave my job one day very soon too. Your work is beautiful – good for you !
Congratulations! And happy finding yourself anniversary! : )
That last paragraph is something I need to read over and over. I’m also going to send it to my friends that aren’t pushing thru on their dreams either. Thanks.
I am suffering under this same disillusionment right now and I’m so inspired by your bravery!
I have read and re-read this post. It touches my heart. I currently feel stuck in the middle and don’t know what to do- stay in the “safe” corporate world or leap for my dream of being a successful photographer. My birthday is Friday, I’ll be 28 and I still haven’t made the leap. Thanks for your words and story. I hope I can write a similar post in not the too distant future. 🙂