now what?

Since I made the decision to leave my corporate job and take some time to really figure out what I’m meant to do in life, I’ve had so many people say to me “I’m jealous” and “I wish I could do that!” Well the good news is that you don’t have to be jealous or wish it could be you- YOU CAN TOO. This decision wasn’t something that I made overnight. I spent years prepping until I was finally ready to make a change. I thought I would share some tips on what got me to this place to allow myself some time to self-relect/try new things.

1. SAVE $!!
   1. Put away money every month.  I had it set up where I would automatically put money away every month from my paycheck so I didn’t get used to living up to how much I made. If it doesn’t make it to your checking account, you won’t even notice it’s missing.
   2. Look at different ways to save money on things you already pay for- every bit counts- call your cable/cell phone company to see if they have any specials. I just knocked $13 off my monthly phone bill and got more features- just by calling. One of my friends got $40 off her monthly comcast bill without having to cut back any features- just by calling! Go to BYOB’s, or even crazier, try skipping the cocktails at dinner- it’s unreal how much that changes the bill.
2. Start testing your new life
   1. I knew I was always interested giving back, so I offered to help my friend in planning an event/fundraiser for a disease her mother passed away from- it’s a cause I feel passionate about, and it gave me a good feel for what planning a fund raising event is like
   2. Travel- by experiencing different cultures/ways of life and learning about the rest of the world, your mind will open to so many new ideas that you didn’t even know existed. We get so stuck in our day to day routine that we become complacent.  Traveling makes you realize there is so much more out there.
   3. Test ideas out with your friends.  I know I’ve always been interested in planning trips, so I planned a few trips with/for my friends to try it out- I found out that it’s not something I just like, it’s something that I’m good at! Similarly, one of my friends is really good at organizing- she asked to come organize my closet for me.  She made me try on everything- you wouldn’t believe how much I thought I needed, that I ended up giving away.  She then re-organized my whole closet so I started wearing outfits I had never thought of before. She has a natural knack for it, but wouldn’t have known had she not been able to test it out on friends first.
3. Rely on your friends/family for strength, encouragement, and advice
   1. I’m extremely grateful to have a large network of both friends and family who are very encouraging and believe in me.  I had been contemplating leaving my job when I was on a trip in San Francisco – I had the opportunity to meet up with some of my cousins who live there, and one of my cousins told me about her experience leaving the corporate world, and how she lives life to it’s fullest.  Hearing her story really helped me see how I could do the same thing for myself. Don’t forget to ask everyone around you about their paths!
   2. Friends are always honest and bring you back to reality.  One friend told me a story of a couple who quit their jobs to do something similar to what I’m doing, and they ended up on the streets broke.  This story helped me to acknowledge that although I know that I will need time, I also need a deadline so I don’t end up broke on the street 🙂
   3. Friends/family are also great to bounce ideas off of, or to go to for resources to help you get started on your next venture- don’t forget to leverage your networks!

I hope this helps… Although it’s not always easy, there’s always a way!