Conventional was not for Me

I have been reflecting on the past a lot lately.  Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel a bit lost?  Like you're playing a game, only everyone seems to have the rules but you?  A year ago, that was how I felt.

I was working full-time in a big financial company, celebrating my one-year anniversary with them.  My employer is well-known and respected, and I was thankful for my job.  I liked my coworkers and my customers.  The pay wasn't great, but it was enough.  And people around me were constantly getting promoted, so I knew there were possibilities for advancement.  

But something was definitely missing.  I had always seen myself doing something more creative, more community-oriented, more...me.  No matter how hard I tried to find an alternative, though, I couldn't seem to settle on one.  I considered working part-time so that I could pursue more creative interests, but all of the part-time jobs seemed like a demotion.  They were almost exclusively secretarial or retail.  I looked into other full-time options, but doors kept closing in my face.  

I finally started to ask myself if "conventional" was really what I wanted.  I mean, I know that we're supposed to grow up and get "real" careers so that we can pay for things and save for the future.  But that path was making me miserable.  I wanted to be home more.  I wanted to create more.  And I wanted to have more control over my time and my future.

Perhaps you can relate?  Maybe you are pursuing a conventional career path, and though everything seems to be on track, you somehow feel left behind.  Maybe you would prefer to spend more time with your family, or wish you had more energy for your friendships.  Or maybe you wish you were doing a different type of work--work that was more "you."  

The solution for me was to leave my corporate job and pursue something more entrepreneurial from my home.  And though the transition has had its share of discomfort, I am so glad I took the plunge.  My appreciation is what has led me to create this blog, and my website, and then fill them with reflections and resources for women in all types of work and family situations.  I realize that not everyone will feel led to make the same choices I did, but fortunately that is not a requirement.  What I wanted was an opportunity to choose a different path from the status quo, and to be a leader in it.  And what I want now is to encourage other women who would like to do the same.  

Share with me your story about how "conventional" was not for you, or how you would like to move into something more fulfilling by emailing me at shillberry@comcast.net.