I took a 5 month absence from my career and this is what I learned

As a new college grad with all this new wealth of knowledge, you are ready to shout to the world… “Hello! I am here and ready!” That’s what I did. Landing my first career-driven job out of college was amazing! I was excelling in my role and moving up in the company. I was making my assigned clients happy with the service I was helping to provide. Life was a piece of cake.

But… soon after the start at the beginning of my new career - I became pregnant with my first child. A lot went through my head, I had just graduated with about 66k in student loan debt, not much in savings, and I was at the beginning of my career journey. How can I make time, room, and afford another human being?

I pushed back the tears and doubts and fought back. Women workability in America are always second guessed when she becomes a mother. At the time and even now, I wanted to break that stereotype and show our American society that women can have it all.

In 2017, I welcomed my sweet baby girl! Once I was holding her and taking in the life of motherhood - I knew more than ever that I had to succeed. I had to pave the way and show my daughter when you put your all into being the best… the best will reward you.

Going through that year into 2018, I started to realize I was no longer being fulfilled in my career. I was so focused on working and providing for my family, that I was starting to resent what I was actually doing. I come from a creative marketing background. I love to be able to test different ways to capture peoples attention, but at that time I wasn’t getting that.

But, I had to push on… believing that ‘this’ was what I wanted. I wanted this ‘career’ and that this was the only way to provide for my family. Time passed and I started crash… and I was crashing burning hard. I remember on my 26th birthday, I was so upset about everything around me because I wasn’t happy with my current situation. I felt like I wasn’t being the best mom and partner because of it. I also felt like I was losing myself and that is exactly what happened.

October 2018, I decided to quit my marketing job and take time to recount with myself. 5 months have passed and I learned the following:

1. I learned how to deal with uncertainty

2. I learned the discipline of patience

3. I learned to be present

4. I learned to discount from the noise

5. I learned what my purpose is

I have decided to leave the corporate world completely and start my own business in order to create a healthy and fulfilling life. The 5 months of absence has taught me most importantly that life moves fast and it can only be lived once.

So, friend, I want you to look at your reflection in the mirror… and ask yourself if you are maximizing your full potential on your own terms. Since a small child, I was being molded to follow the paths of others - but I have learned that I can path my own way of success.