“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”
I’m participating in The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge. Are you?
Q. Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?
A. The biggest challenges of 2009: Working on my tiny freelancing business, leaving my day job and moving to a new city.
Over Thanksgiving, we decided to move to Portland and I decided to leave my day job. I’ve been working in the anti-violence field for the last 10 years, either as a volunteer, researcher or victim advocate. So leaving the field was a hard decision to make. As hard as it is to leave, I know it’s time for a change.
Moving to a new town and making a huge career change is scary as hell but exciting too! Even if I fail, at least I made the leap. Rather than talking about my dreams for years and years, I’m doing it.
I have a feeling that 2010 will be a year of growth, change and challenges.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
2009 was really just the year of relaxation, enjoying an “easy” job and playing as much as I can. But this blog post has touched me and inspired me as recently I’ve been given a job offer (for 2010) which requires me to move. It’s an exciting opportunity but will require lots of traveling and/or moving around. It would have been easy for me to say no, and just keep my 9-5 “normal” job… but do I want to tell people well I’m “ALMOST” interesting since I was given the opportunity for excitement? Nope, I’m taking the chance and diving right in. 2010 will be the year of change and adventure.
Yay Christine! It sounds like 2010 will be very exciting! You go girl!
Those hardest decisions are often the best ones too. Congratulations on deciding to move to Portland (my favourite US city, hands down) – I hope you guys will absolutely love living there. If you’d like to meet up with a really eclectic group of women I think you’d hit it off with, and laugh yourself silly, check out Paulette Rees-Denis of Gypsy Caravan (www.gypsycaravan.us). The tribal bellydance community is very welcoming, very inclusive, and the ladies/men just rock. I travelled to Portland to study with her on a complete whim about 10 years ago and she is a blast. Like some of my favourite bloggers (!) she’s opened my eyes to possiblities all around. Definitely one of those women that you meet and just go “damn…so glad that I met her”.
Thanks for the tip Carrie. I’ll look Paulette up. She sounds like a lot of fun.
This has been a very challenging year for us, indeed. It was the first time in our 23 year marriage that we’ve had to struggle financially as well as see how difficult it is for working people to get healthcare in this country. It’s been a very humbling experience.
@Kerri – I am nervous about leaving my fantastic healthcare plan, through my employer. I’ll be paying for my own healthcare and am going to be working with a broker to find a good plan.
I wish we had a healthcare system similar to Canada’s. I won’t be able to afford a comprehensive plan, like I have now. But I made my choice and hopefully everything falls into place.
I’ve claimed 2010 as my year of change in many aspects of my life, and I am excited to really see what all happens this year.
I’ve got to say that you really are an inspiration to me. I would really love to get out of a 8-5 job and do what I love (creating/crafting) as my vocation, but with all the other changes I’m making this year I’m not ready to take any leap that big. I really admire the risk you have taken, and can’t wait to read about your journey. Hopefully, some day, I”ll get enough guts to take a leap…but right now I’m challenging myself just by changing my routine.
Good luck!
@DIYgal – Ahhh thank you! It sounds like you’ve made a number of positive changes in your life and that is powerful. Eventually you will be ready to take the big leap. Keep me posted on your plans.