Yes, I feel so much of this. I made the switch from marketing pro to freelance writer about eight years ago. How I work with people has changed so much. I used to spend so much of my day maintaining boundaries, holding my ground, and "teaching" people how to work with me and my team. Now I can focus so much more on my actual work. It's so much easier to let things go when you're hired to simply deliver a product, not manage a workplace. That's the good part. But the structure and easy-to-understand markers of success -- titles, promotions, salaries -- are missing. You start to feel like you're behind, not pushing yourself, wasting your talent... but is that just because that external validation is missing? Or is it actually true? Will I regret getting out of the game, or will the things I accomplish on my own stand the test of time? SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I think, and this is from the outside looking in, that you are already doing something big. With this post, with all your posts, you ARE a leader. Not a leader in the sense of telling your readers what to do, but by sharing pieces of yourself, the good and not so good, and showing readers we are not alone. And that you are doing the work, and asking questions we should ask ourselves when we are ready. We can all relate to some piece of your story, whether we are 20 years old or 60 years old, I know that I do. So maybe you've started the next thing you are meant to do by finding peace, writing to your readers and by default inspiring women to look deeper. You do for me. So thank you.
Yes, I feel so much of this. I made the switch from marketing pro to freelance writer about eight years ago. How I work with people has changed so much. I used to spend so much of my day maintaining boundaries, holding my ground, and "teaching" people how to work with me and my team. Now I can focus so much more on my actual work. It's so much easier to let things go when you're hired to simply deliver a product, not manage a workplace. That's the good part. But the structure and easy-to-understand markers of success -- titles, promotions, salaries -- are missing. You start to feel like you're behind, not pushing yourself, wasting your talent... but is that just because that external validation is missing? Or is it actually true? Will I regret getting out of the game, or will the things I accomplish on my own stand the test of time? SO MANY QUESTIONS.
Atoosa! What a year you've had! And it is only January!!
I think, and this is from the outside looking in, that you are already doing something big. With this post, with all your posts, you ARE a leader. Not a leader in the sense of telling your readers what to do, but by sharing pieces of yourself, the good and not so good, and showing readers we are not alone. And that you are doing the work, and asking questions we should ask ourselves when we are ready. We can all relate to some piece of your story, whether we are 20 years old or 60 years old, I know that I do. So maybe you've started the next thing you are meant to do by finding peace, writing to your readers and by default inspiring women to look deeper. You do for me. So thank you.