Salute to New Chapters
“I could have seen this one coming!” The comment I hear from everyone.
I’ve been living in that great state of confusion for far too long.
Time to make a move.
If you have kept up with DoingLifeBeingTiff, you know I have been in pursuit of a “muse”. Well I found it!
In the past few years my life has been a series of incisive incidents; bankruptcy, challenging relationships, giving up a real estate career, weight loss and gains, starting a new job (clocking in 8am-4:30pm for the first time in 20 years). You know..life.
This year I had an epiphany. I want to find a “muse”… that one niche that I was created to fill. Along the way, I have met some great people and heard some great stories that have helped me in my pursuit of a “muse”. I hope you enjoyed my series of interviews with my successful friends. Freda Mooncotch, Michele Savoldi, Erin Lee and Kelly Gingery were so kind to share their insights. I had so much fun with that project.
I follow some remarkable blogs too. Everyday I read my Google Reader in awe of the amazing stories people are telling with their lives. I think I’ve figured out their secret. They have simply chosen to put themselves out there on a regular basis doing what they love. Like Nike… Just Do It!
As I was reading my Google Reader one day, I came across Chris Brogans review of the book A Million Miles In A Thousand Years. I was so intrigued that I ordered the book right away and quickly read it. You might say that I devoured the book! Donald Miller put into words what I have believed all my life. While writing a screenplay about his memoir, Donald discovered that he was rather bored with his story. He wondered if his life was telling the story he wanted to tell. Exactly how I feel! I loved Chris Brogan’s description, “It sounds simplistic, but there’s a lot to it.”
Key insights I gained from A Million Miles In A Thousand Years:
- We don’t remember half of a half of our lives. We don’t make an effort to jot it down.
- In most great stories lines, the main character has an incisive incident.
- We can change our story
- Can’t be afraid of chaos or conflict
- It is good to listen to the writer of our story
- Start by putting something down on the page… “Your life is a blank page. You write on it.”
I have known for a long time now that I am not living the story I want to tell.
I believe wholeheartedly that God has created us with purpose. I have been unhappy and bored with my story for a long time. I can’t say there was one incisive incident, but more like a series of unhappy circumstances along with some great opportunities.
Two things I know about myself… I was born to promote. And I have an incurable entrepreneurial spirit.
I thrive in the creative process and sharing things I love. Recently I decided to Just Do It…put myself out there doing what I love. Some friends and I started Weekend Retweat, a group of gals promoting retreats and resorts using our collective social media savvy. Weekend Retweat combines my love of promoting with travel! I also stepped out in the scary world of speaking. Shane Haggerty and I held a seminar for our local chamber of commerce, Social Media in a Small Town. That is one fear I can check off my list!
The reward for “putting myself out there” is that I now have a few clients that have hired me to do PR for them using various social media platforms. I actually get paid to do something that makes me come alive and doesn’t feel like work.
The conflict in my story.
Last November I was offered a job at The Hall Company by Wes Brown, a friend and former co-worker in real estate. I jumped at the opportunity to work with Wes. He was an incredible manager of our real estate office and a born salesman. I was so thankful to have a job in an economy with so many on unemployment. The Hall Company is an excellent company! This was the first time that I clocked into a desk job in twenty years. Needless to say, it was a struggle for me. I love the company and all the people I work with, but couldn’t get accustomed to clocking in and conforming to a corporate environment.
As I continue to take on more projects that I love, it became apparent that I could not physically do both. My entrepreneur spirit fought with the notion of being in a safe secure job on a daily basis. Chaos is trying to do too much. I had to make a choice. What kind of story did I want to tell?
I am not one to quit or let people down. So after weeks of stewing over it I made the decision. It took me two days to finally approach the subject with Wes. I had to remind myself that this fear was preventing me from telling my story. So, I finally gathered my courage and approached him with my decision to resign my position at the Hall Company and follow my heart. He was great! I know he wasn’t happy about it, but was totally supportive. I am so thankful for my time at the Hall Company. I learned a lot about manufacturing and working with people.
Did I mention that I have a totally supportive husband? Jeff supports my pursuit and is encouraging me. That helps a lot.
I immediately e-mailed my closest friends to tell them my crazy news. Come to find out, many of my friends feel the same way I do. One friend commented, “Can’t tell you all the days I’ve awaken and wished I was doing exactly what you are doing. Going for your dreams and following your passion. I guess as far as having to work for the man, I can’t complain since technology is my passion to a degree, but to have the freedom to set my own destiny and plan each day on my own terms would be the ultimate dream. So I am sooooo envious of you for taking this leap of faith and I know you will make this happen. So awesome.” Well, that made my heart happy!
A part of me feels that I could use this experience to help propel others to leap into the story they want to tell. I would love to inspire people to live authentically and with purpose!
Serendipity is my friend.
You are not going to believe this.
The day after I summoned the courage to quit my job I read an exciting announcement on Donald Miller’s blog.
Donald Miller’s Blog is one blog that I read daily. He continues to inspire me to live a good story! I knew from keeping up with his blog that he was organizing a Living A Better Story Seminar. I didn’t think I’d be able to go. At the time he announced the seminar I didn’t think I could take off work.
As I was sitting at my desk catching up on all the articles in my Google Reader, I read Donald Miller’s headline. Win a Trip for Two to Portland for the Living a Better Story Seminar. My heart skipped a beat and I wanted to jump out of my seat. I could hardly contain my excitement. Winning this contest would combine all my passions… travel, promoting, learning more about telling a better story and learning to inspire people to pursue a better story.
Pick me! Pick me! I’m a natural fit…don’t you think?
I truly believe that this seminar will help me refine my story with more clarity. And in the theater of my mind, I imagine it to be the perfect ending to the past few years and beginning to a new chapter in life.
If I don’t win, does anyone want to sponsor me? I am currently unemployed now. :)
Living a Better Story Seminar from All Things Converge Podcast on Vimeo.