“Your fear is like an intuition-barometer. It lets you know how important this thing is to you. It lets you know how much this thing will help you grow. How it will expand you and peel away another layer so you can become your most authentic self. Fear tells us what we’re meant to do.” – Ashley, Why Terrifying Fear is Actually a Really Good Thing
Today is my last day at my current job.
On Monday, I begin a new journey. I have accepted a new position at a fast-growing marketing firm and I will be a copywriter.
How’s that for a little bit o’ news?
It’s been a surreal couple of weeks. I went through a rigorous interviewing process of three writing samples and two interviews. I felt good about my writing samples, solid in my interviews, and the job offer wasn’t exactly unexpected. (Though still incredibly thrilling and exciting!) But it has all felt surreal. It’s hard to imagine leaving my current job and starting over at a new company. It’s hard to imagine my coworkers won’t be my coworkers anymore, my job won’t be my job anymore. It’s hard to imagine that I will take the opposite direction to work, step into an entirely new office, and sit at a completely different desk. Everything will be different and it will be hard and yes, I am terrified but oh my god, this is exactly what I wanted and I can’t believe it’s all really happening.
Leaving my current company is bittersweet. My coworkers are so much fun to work with. We joke, we laugh, we vent, we confide, we gab, we support, we love. I love them fiercely. I wish I could take them with me. I will miss being around them. A piece of my heart will always be in that place because I grew so much as an individual and as a professional. It was not without its ups and downs, good days and bad days and happy days and frustrating days and days where I left work, sat in my car, and cried because I was so unhappy.
I took this job two years ago because I was interested in marketing. Armed with a degree in journalism and very little work experience to my name, getting a company to take a chance on me was difficult but less than three months out of college, I was offered a position as a marketing assistant which has morphed into a data analysis role. My whole world has revolved around spreadsheets and data and analytics and while it’s been interesting, it’s not something I love. It’s not what I want to do with my life. I feel squashed creatively and I have known for a while that there is so much more I can do, but this company was not where it was going to happen.
And now it’s time to say goodbye and ready myself for what lies ahead of me.
My mind is battling between excitement and nerves, happiness and terror. It’s scary to leave what’s comfortable and familiar. It’s scary because there is so much uncertainty. It feels like I’m jumping off a cliff into the great unknown and I am grappling with myself. Anxiety is part of who I am and big change like, um, changing careers is anxiety-inducing and pretty terrifying for me. But it’s terrifying in a good way. Terrifying in the way that I am choosing to honor myself, my worth, my passions, my purpose. Terrifying in the way that I am going after my goals, chasing after my dreams, and silencing the voices of doubt that tell me I can’t do this. Terrifying because success can be terrifying. I’ve spent so much time doubting my writing ability, telling myself my writing isn’t strong enough and my voice isn’t unique enough and look at this person and this person and this person, they know how to write! And now… a company hired me to write for them. Because my writing is strong enough. My voice is unique. I know how to write!
So today I will walk out of my office one last time and close this chapter of my life. Monday will start a new adventure for me, a new chapter in the book of me. I’m so happy that I could burst and so ready for what lies ahead for me. It will be challenging and full of learning experiences. I will be working longer hours (but only working until noon on Fridays! What what!) and doing more writing than ever before. I’m so thrilled, though, and so ready. I know this is exactly the right next step for me and I’m filled to the brim with excitement for what lies ahead.
SOOOO proud of you and super excited for this new adventure!
Good luck, Stephany!
Congratulations!
So exciting! Congratulations!
So happy and excited for you! I definitely think this is the right change for you and I hope it is a successful transition!
Oh Stephany, that’s so freaking exciting! I totally get the scary, but the opportunities for growth, new challenges, etc., are so great. Can’t wait to hear more about your new adventure!
Ahhhh I’m already SO envious of your hours. I kept saying this summer I would TOTALLY work longer hours to have Friday’s off or half days or whatever!
I definitely relate to this feeling as I went through similar things 1.5 years ago. Coworkers I loved, job I hated. I’m happy to say that my change has been an amazing one for me – I can’t even fully believe how much I love my “new” job. I’m sure this will be an equally amazing change for you as well! Good luck and can’t wait to hear more!
That’s amazing! I’m so happy and excited for you! :))
How exciting! Good luck in this next chapter. 🙂
So happy for you, dear friend. Wishing you nothing but the best of luck, happy days and a great new work environment. I know you’ll kick butt at your new job and I know it’s a great fit for you. So excited FOR you! Big hugs 🙂
Congrats, lady! So happy for this exciting change in your life!
Congrats on the new job and on taking the leap!
Congratulations Stephany! What awesome news!! Way to go for your dreams! I’m so happy for you-the job sounds great! And half-day on Fridays? BONUS! XO
SO excited for you! More writing! Woo!
It’s definitely hard to leave great coworkers. But you’ll make new friends at the new job.
How exciting! Congratulations! Leaving a job is always hard, but this sounds like a wonderful opportunity. 🙂
Congrats! I am so so so so excited for you as this sounds like a career path that is going to be a really great fit and will take you in the direction you want to go. i understand your feelings of sadness and fear, though. Changing jobs is bittersweet. You won’t get to see people you really enjoy seeing on a daily basis, and that is sad and hard. But you will keep in touch with them – if you are willing to work at that. I hope that this new job gets off to a good start. Just remember to be patient with yourself and this new experience. It will take time to find your groove!
Congratulations and best of luck in your new role! It sounds like an awesome fit for you!
Congratulations!!! This is HUGE and I am so proud of you!! Have a GREAT first day tomorrow!!!
WOOOOO! Go you!! I’m so excited for you.
This is just FULL of awesome! Can’t wait to hear how it all goes. Congrats!!
Oh geez I thought I already commented on this from my phone but I guess not! CONGRATULATIONS!!! What an amazing opportunity to grow professionally and personally! I’m proud of you for taking this step, it’s not always easy to leave behind what we know. I can’t wait to hear all about it!
Congrats!! Can’t wait to hear about how your first day went!
Still SO psyched for you! What a cool thing. 🙂 I can totally understand not wanting to leave a great job and amazing co-workers, but I am so excited about this new adventure. 🙂 Congratulations, lady!
Congrats! I can’t wait to hear how you are loving the new job!
GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!
I’m obviously somewhat behind on commenting on this post, but since we spoke about it… YAY! You know all my feelings about your old job, your new one, and well, i’m just so darn happy for you, once again!!