Changing careers and your life is not easy. It is downright scary. Being an accountant was never my passion but changing careers was mind blowing. I thought of going for my CPA because if I was going to stay in this field I wanted to have the leverage to improve. Confusion is an understatement. I was also in an unhappy marriage at that time with an unsupportive partner.
After 9 months of being stuck in this limbo, I finally decided I had to take the leap. I signed up for the course to get my CPA—and quickly realized it wasn't for me. I was having trouble paying attention because of a lack of interest, and I could tell this wasn't what I wanted. In some ways, my worst fears were coming true; I was struggling with the work and in danger of bombing a class I had paid to get into. But instead of berating myself, I saw this as a light bulb moment. I realized that I was spending 5 days a week doing something I wasn't passionate about. I wasn't speaking or communicating with people; I was just sitting at a desk and adding up numbers. This epiphany is what led me to go back to school, get my Master's, and become the speech pathologist I am today. Although a divorce is always stressful, I am grateful it happened. I learned to be with the most loving and supportive husband and have two beautiful daughters now.
If any of you feel this way—like one day rolls into the next without you accomplishing anything, like you're disorganized and procrastinating on making a change—ask yourself what you’re fearful of and write it down. Ask yourself, "If I could do anything in this world, what are 3 things I would do by the end of this week? What can I do today to make my life more fulfilled?" and write down the answer. You'd be surprised at what taking a breath and considering these questions seriously will reveal about your procrastination, your perfectionism, and your fears. Remember: it's better to get started than to not start at all. Don't let the fear of drowning stop you from swimming. It may not always end in success, but it will always bring you closer to your future.
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