quitting is scary fun.
I clicked the laptop back into its sleeping position and stared at the wall in front of me. Did I really just do that? Did those words “I think it’s time for me to leave” really just ripple across my tongue, squeeze through my teeth and tumble out of my lips?
I jumped out of my chair and paced the room, thoughts racing. It was a planned quitting speech and it went without a hitch. My boss, kind and understanding, asked if I could stay another month to help tie the year-end fundraising bow. I agreed and now here I sit, 25 days shy of a vague unemployment.
For years, I wrestled with creative entrepreneurship. After soaking in an Etsy article in 2010 about “quitting your day job”, I’ve played with this illusive idea of owning my own business. I’ve made strides forward, then retreated from fear or necessity. I’ve denied my own creativity, hidden in corners, whined, coveted other entrepreneur’s successes.
When we moved from our comfortable three bedroom, red bricked suburb house to a three digit square foot, sleek apartment in the bustling city this summer, my heart moved too. It couldn’t contain the pressure of hiding behind the guise of yet another job, another way to deny that all I really wanted to do was to start and operate a creative business.
So, I’m leaving my full-time, paying-our-bills job. I’m leaving it before my business has proven itself, before sales outnumber expenses.
I’m no stranger to quitting jobs. I’ve planned, blurted and typed two weeks notices five times in five years, a seemingly red flag that I don’t belong in a traditional work place or maybe just a typical millennial. But this time, my plan isn’t a different way to hide. It’s to pursue The Tabitha Shop. I’m taking a dive into an exciting unknown and watching what God does on the way down.
I’ll be blogging much more about this journey away from full-time employment to full-time entrepreneurship. I’ll be finished with my job on November 30 and will be full-time The Tabitha Shop by December 1. Join me in this adventure?
Hello Mikaela,
ReplyDeleteThis is basically what I did too although I'm in a difference stage of my life. I was going to school and feeling like I was wasting time on useless homework assignments instead of focusing on launching a business I've been dreaming about. I finally took the plunge to leave school, at least for a period of time, and focus on launching Grace Belle. It felt amazing taking that plunge. But my job liked that I had more hours and instead I ended up working full time. I got caught up in it for a few months before I realized if I really want to do this I have to focus on it with all I have. I put in my 2 weeks notice but I too stayed about a month to help them out, which in turn helped me build a little savings cushion. And thank God that I did because as soon as I left a handful or random expenses came my way and I would have been discouraged if I didn't have that cushion. Then aside from that I had a personal trial with my relationship which almost tore me down emotionally. I had to step back and rely on God to guide me through this new venture. It really helped me see that I have to be intentional with my time and actions, seek God above all else, build my character first because that will be reflected in my business and keep moving forward, one step at a time. It's not easy taking on a business. But if so many people can do it, and do it well, then we have no reason to fear. We just keep going, one day at a time until the business will grow. :)
I saw your cards on instagram and have no doubt you'll do well. The quality is there, it does not look like a diy style card but a high quality-sell-in-stores kind of cards. I'm happy to collaborate with you and even give you a few contacts or tips that I think might help.
Looking forward to seeing your products in my hands and styling them for a shoot. :)
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Lorina Daiana
Ceo & Brand Manager at grâce belle
gracebelle.com
Instagram: @gracebelle & @Lorina_Daiana
Oh this is so encouraging! Thank you, thank you!!
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