When I quit my job and gave myself permission to live
The unexpected urgency of my dreams presented itself in a dim boardroom with my manager. It found itself rolling off the tip of my tongue with no cares in the world. Without an official plan, I gave a verbal resignation notice to my employer of nearly 5 years. I paused and took a deep breath as I heard God say “it’s time, trust me”. As I was speaking the words, I think it’s time to discontinue my journey with this organization, to my manager, in my head I was saying “umm…. J…Je… Jennifer, what are you doing?! Are you crazy?!” I responded to myself, yes... well no because God told me to do it. I wasn’t exactly clear on what I was going to do, all I knew was it was time for me to stride in the direction of my purpose. It was time for me to stop being afraid of the outcome. In that dim boardroom, I gained so much clarity. It had been revealed that my future did not exist in a box that wouldn’t grow. I felt like my life was passing me by while working my 9-5 and my innovation, enthusiasm, and skills weren’t being fully used or appreciated. It was time to take a risk, bet on myself, count on God’s direction, and fly. I truly went against the grain to pursue a life that I desired to live. It was at that moment where I gave myself permission to live with God’s grace and direction.
I was lined up with a job opportunity before my last day at my job. I made it to the third round interview, met with 10 individuals from the company, and it seemed to have gone well. I met all the requirements and provided everything that was asked of me. After a week of leaving my job, I received an email from corporate that I was not going to fill the position. I was devastated because this job matched my skills perfectly and I felt as though I could bring so much value to the company within the position. I then searched for months to find this perfect job that would fulfill my purpose, for that was the reason I left my stable job in the first place. Right?! Well wrong! I had countless interviews and sent out numerous resumes. I consulted with friends that were HR professionals to review my resume and cover letter to make sure that I wasn’t missing anything. I had connections with higher-up professionals who link careers with individuals for a living and nothing came! I’ve worked for well-established and prestigious companies in the past. I could not fathom why not one solid job opportunity was happening for me. THIS WAS THE SIGN. The only way to fulfill my purpose was to create my own lane. I decided that since opportunities weren’t working out for me that I would create the opportunity to do the things that I was most passionate about and skilled at.
It has been exactly 6 months since my last day at my 9-5. To be transparent, since I quit my job 6 months ago I can’t say it has been a walk in a park. Some days, I couldn’t tell you what a park was! I would ball in tears and wonder why I left a stable situation to enter into an unknown world. I use to constantly say to myself “you should’ve just waited, you should’ve planned better, you should’ve saved more, etc.” I questioned if my ears were clean when I thought God spoke to me. Even though I felt drained and emotionally bankrupt, I always went back to my reason why I decided to live this life to keep me motivated.
We always admire faith until we have to step into unknown territory with a chance that could very much fail. It was at that moment where I fully put my faith on trial. Where I believed in something that I didn’t even see yet. We speak about this blind faith, but how often do we follow it. When you feel God has told you to do something, how willing are you to do it? I will not back down on what God told me to do. I had not solidified my plan, however, I had faith that things would work out. Through this faith, came blessings and support out of places I would have never expected. I decided to grab life by the horns and take action on the things that I desired. I gave myself permission to live regardless of the outcome. Even when my original plan didn’t work, I realized it was only to set up the ultimate plan and direction of my life! It has been such a journey and I am still in the beginning stages of where I want to be. However, I AM very much able to offer what I have learned at this point in my experience.
What Have Learned Since I Quit My Job
1. Go for it!
Now, I am not suggesting anyone just quit their job…. and definitely without a plan. I was crazy enough to do but it is definitely not the most sought way to go. However, what I AM suggesting for you do is TAKE ACTION towards your goals! Get serious and ask yourself what is stopping you from living the life you want and doing the things that truly make you happy. If you’re waiting for the perfect time, the perfect website, or the perfect whatever it may be… don’t! You will be waiting forever for things to be “perfect” or even near perfect. I realized that you have to start by starting! You may be building the plane while in flight but you have to start somewhere or you may never start. Give yourself permission to go against the grain and live! Whether you are trying to start a business full time or making a career change, by any means GO FOR IT!
2. Find your Circle
Get connected to people who are like-minded that are trying to go in the direction that you are going and stay connected with the people who have been where you are trying to go. I would be nowhere without my mentor who had been working in her field for over 20 years and decided to run her own company. She understood my concerns and motivated me to get past them. She believed in me and continues to push me in the right direction as an entrepreneur. It has also been helpful to join professional groups with inspiring grinders that force you to step up to the plate.
While entertaining the idea of quitting my job, I didn’t discuss it with anyone. For me, I decided not to tell anyone because I knew everyone would try to talk me out of it. When I actually made the decision, I surprised myself! When I finally spilled the beans, I received so much backlash and my faith was challenged, daily. It was intimidating to move forward when you’ve made a bold decision and the closest people aren't supportive. You will have family or friends that may discourage you because they do not understand your vision. They may not understand the journey, believe in your vision, and may not see how far you can go with it. Having those people will be detrimental in the process of moving forward. Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dream. They may not mean any harm however, they just don’t understand your passion and vision like you… because of course, it is for you and only you! So please find a solid circle to keep you motivated as you go after your dreams.
3. Keep Pushing
I’ve had bad days where I felt completely overwhelmed during this journey, however, I managed to keep pushing. Every day I do something that will bring me to where I ultimately want to be. I take my “failures” as learning lessons and my challenges as a stepping stone to greatness. I capitalized on the reward of knowing that I am making an impact in someone’s life. I get re-energized by knowing that it is more to life than what these temporary frustrations can hold. Knowing that if I keep pushing toward my goal that I will get to that next level. Your next level in life will demand a different version of yourself, so keep pushing. Meet the demand of your dreams. It is worth it!
I am still in the beginning stages of my journey with so much ground to cover. I realized I had to start by simply starting even if that means building your plane while in flight. I wanted to write about my experience to hopefully inspire someone else that may just be as crazy as I am to pursue their passions. If you were not offered the opportunity, create one! It's been 6 months and I STILL can't believe that I am creating a life for myself! Out of this, I decided who I was and where I wanted to be! I AM Jennifer Mo, who does not prefer to live in a box that society has made. I am a marketing consultant and a certified financial counselor. I am here to cultivate the ideas of young entrepreneurs and small business owners through the creative marketing process and provide the essentials to market their business. I am here to empower millennials to become financially savvy and provide one on one sessions to help them reach their financial goals. I AM traveling further, making more happen, and living happier. I energized my passion by taking a bold move to seek opportunities that would allow me to better serve my greater purpose. I granted myself permission to live.