A Year of Self-Employment

My last day at my corporate job was Friday, December 16, 2011. It's been a year, if we stick with the same day of the week. At this point last year, I was packing up my office. People stopped by to say good-bye. I turned in my Blackberry and ID tag. I left the building with a couple of bags of stuff and a surreal feeling.

After five and a half years, I was going out on my own. I was taking a leap of faith.

How different my life is now. I love it, but of course, there are things I miss. The steady paycheck, the people, the constant collaboration and feedback, the availability of resources, the fun perks and free magazines, the flow of projects. (And today, I'm missing the company holiday party... ha!)

I learn new things every day, both good and bad, and experience plenty of ups and downs. But even during the challenging times this year, I've recalled the reasons I made this choice and felt reassured in my decision. I have the rare opportunity to pursue my dream, use my talents, make my own choices, and have the flexibility and freedom I desire. The sky's the limit for what I can do.

I have a vision for what I want my business to look like down the line. I'm not completely sure how I'll get from where I am to where I want to be, but then again, I had no idea a year ago what today would look like.

I found this quote below about a year ago, and I thought it was impossible to adopt this attitude, especially for an anxiety-prone person like me. But it's true, if we let go of fear and look for the fun, we'll slowly grow into the person we're meant to be. We'll quietly move to that place where we're most happy and fulfilled.

via

So much happens, so much changes, in a year's time. In high school, I used to joke that a lot can happen in two weeks. A lot can happen in a single moment too. I'm reminded of this in light of today's tragedy in Newtown, CT.

Let's refuse to take the people and blessings in our life for granted. Let's be grateful that we are living and growing and learning, no matter what our lives may contain. Let's accept the changes that will come along and trust that we're on the right path. Let's pray for others and give of ourselves. Let's remember what's truly important, now during this holiday season and into the new year.

How much has changed for you in the past year, two weeks, day? What does "fear" and "fun" look like in your life?