There comes a point in life when you need to ask yourself What is my passion? If I could do any sort of work when I wake up each day, what would that work be?
For almost 4 years I had been working for Petra Nemcova and Be The Light New York. My last day with BTL was this past Friday, and bittersweet it was. As much as I ADORE Petra and loved my time with her and this fabulous home decor brand, I felt it in my heart that it was time to move on. I realized what I’m passionate about and what I’m happiest doing. So, as you know, if you read this blog post, I started my own company, LJ Creative House. And I’m so happy I made this decision.
It’s pretty damn scary taking a big risk. This we all know. However, sometimes it’s what is necessary. Whether it’s starting your own company, accepting a new job position, moving to a new city, or something else, a risk is a risk. And risks are scary.
Something I’ve come to realize is that life is too short to wake up every morning dreading what you’re doing. This is NOT to say I was waking up every morning dreading my job (because that was not the case), BUT I do know many people who loathe what they do. While it can be very hard walking away from a steady salary and the comfort of knowing you have a secure job, if it’s something bringing you down and making you unhappy, it might be time to reevaluate things.
When you wake up in the morning feeling inspired and motivated and ready to start your work day, it makes all the difference in the world. I’m speaking from experience.
There was a time when I was living in NYC when I was working somewhere that I disliked greatly. I loved the people I worked with and the company I was at was incredible (and, to this day, I’m still so grateful for the experience), but boy did it look a whole lot more glamorous on the outside (yes, one of THOSE jobs). Anyway, after about a year, I couldn’t take it anymore. Working until 3am some nights, doing work I did not enjoy, not feeling inspired….NOT a good combination. At all. Now that I’m doing doing something I genuinely love and feel inspired by on a daily basis, I can’t tell you the difference it’s made in my life.
For a while now, I wake up in the morning and I actually feel excited to work. That might sound strange, I know. But I whole-heartedly am ready to start my work day and, coming from someone who is not a morning person, it came as a surprise to me, too, that I jump out of bed pretty darn eager because I love what I do. There are even some nights when I go to sleep and I can’t wait to wake up because I have all these ideas in my head of things I want to do the next day. And, trust me, I love my bed. I love my sleep, but I’m making a point here.
I’m not saying you need to wake up every single morning so excited and bouncing off the walls, but you also don’t want to wake up every single morning dreading your day and feeling unmotivated. If this is you, you might want to consider some other options. While jobs can be hard to come by, there ARE jobs out there.
What are your hobbies? While working at your current job, start dabbling in those hobbies on the side and see if you can make money from them. Do you love planning events? Reach out to local event planners and see if you can assist day of (event planners are always looking for extra hands the day of their events). Is flower arranging your thing? Then make arrangements for your friends or family events and offer to help local businesses with their floral arrangements when needed. Have you always wanted to own your own restaurant? Find a family owned restaurant and see if you can shadow or help one of the chefs or managers for a night. At the least, reach out and make the connection. And the list goes on. Maybe it’s something you never even thought about doing, but maybe it’s worth taking that risk.
They say if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. It’s true. Passion trumps everything. Figure out what your passions are and follow them. Doing so just might change your life.
image via brown dress with white dots