The Realization You Need A Change, Then The Scary Part About Changing Careers
For some of us there comes a point that you realize your job isn’t fulfilling you any more. This happened to me about 7 years ago.
It wasn’t an overnight “BOOM” I am unhappy at work, it was more like a gradual realization that I was frustrated, unhappy, unmotivated and even starting to get a little depressed. Work is such a huge part of a person’s life and to be miserable, is just plain miserable!
I started searching for other things to do.
I love re-designing floorplans, kitchen and bath design so I took an online degree program in Residential Planning in hopes of securing a job in that field.
No go.
I didn’t have any experience.
I tried getting some online work through Thumbtack but even the people who thought about hiring me, didn’t. No experience, no referrals, no go.
I was heartbroken because this was something I loved doing, I could picture myself doing and knew I would be really good at! But I continued to do my “old job” to pay the bills.
Occasionally I would read articles about working online from home. I was intrigued as I really like being home and thought this would be a good fit for me. I tried a couple of different things but nothing really came of it because I didn’t really have a good plan as to how to go about it.
Finally, there was a huge cut back at work and my job was cut to part-time. I knew I had to get a plan in place to recover that income and maybe this was my sign that it was the right time to change careers. I checked out a number of programs and then happened upon affiliate marketing and blogs.
I took the leap.
I was ready to make the move from my old job (yes, I am still working part-time at my “old job”) to building my own business. Then came the hardest part: the unknown scary factors.
And there are a lot of them.
What if I couldn’t figure out online marketing? I had only read about blogs, what if I couldn’t write good content? What if I couldn’t figure out the technology? What if I flopped? What if I spent all my money and had no ROI? What if I really wasn’t cut out to do this?
I think there were a dozen other “What if’s” but those were the biggest ones.
The answers to all these questions still aren’t apparent but I realized that with research and hard work, I could figure out the marketing and the technology. I have even learned how to develop a web site with all the plugins, advertisers and content.
There is a lot I still need to figure out but I am taking it one step at a time. I have spent a bit more money than I would like to admit and really haven’t made much of that back. But I know I am in this for the long haul and it will take time.
It is a business. My business.
And I am enjoying every minute of figuring it out.
It’s great to be happy again and feeling like what I am doing has a purpose.