Why I Quit My Job

I took the leap.  


I sold the mills. 


I quit my job. 


And I'm thrilled.


My life has been pretty straightforward so far.  Birth.  Potty Training. School.  College.  Work. Work.  Marry. Work.  


Then... it should continue to go something like:


Work. Baby. Work. Baby. House. Work. Work. Baby.


The last time I took a risk was in 2005.  I scored a commission only job at an art gallery in the artsy district of Atlanta.  I took it- you have to have an internship the summer after you junior year or its basically career suicide- and had no place to live, no other income, nothing.  My parents lived in south Georgia and I was basically independent from their support at this point.  My older sister lived in Atlanta but just acquired a new roommate leaving no room for sis (darn husbands) and the housing in Kennesaw I lived in the summer before was full.  But, I didn't care.  I was doing this- income or no income.  Home or homeless.  And with the help of my sister, we found a precious, furnished, one bedroom apartment to house-sit while the owners were in Africa all summer and with the help of my college, I found another internship that paid real steady money (after moving in the apartment mind you) and made it just fine working my dream gallery job.


Since then, I've been much more sensible, somehow landing my job before graduating school and have stayed there ever since with great commitment to my career.  My friends have bounced around the country and the world.  My sister has moved to Europe with her husband roommate, learned French and has more stamps in her passport than the president.  My younger sister has studied in Spain and worked in Costa Rica.  I've stay in Rome, GA.  Worked.  Learned.  And stood still.


This is not a bad thing- and I'm getting to that.  My job has been a home.  A family.  A school.  I've learned as much as or more than I did at college.  It has been exactly the life and career development experience I needed. My private college education is paid for.  I've been able to do what I love- pottery- as well as learn to teach pottery through the amazing people at Earthworks Pottery.  I've lived within miles of my baby sister all this time.  And for a family that spreads like seeds in the wind, that is amazing.  And of course, I found my sweet true love.  I've stayed still to learn, grow and enjoy exactly where I am in life.


But, this life was not my goal.  If you've read this blog at all, you know that my heart lies with the mud. It lies with spinning wheels, shiny glazes and new ideas for creations.  So, I quit my job to allow my heart to follow my dream- being a Godly woman that puts her husband above all the things of the world and makes beautiful art throughout her days.  I had to get past the voices in my head telling me this is crazy and that I shouldn't do it.  That I'm crazy to give up a well paying job in this day and time.  That change is just too scary to overcome.


The movie Up in the Air  struck a chord with me.  It shows dozens of faces that have just realized they are making a huge life change as George Clooney bears to them the news of their firing.  The movie talks about dreams a lot.  At one point he says "As a child, all you hear is 'Follow your dreams!  Always, follow your dreams.'  Yet as an adult, all you hear is why you can't follow your dreams."  I suppose we let our ideas of ideal income, society norms and our own fears of failure talk us into allowing dreams to fade away in the distance.  


So, I'm ready.  I'm set.  And I'm going out into this world with my dream on my sleeve.  Not starting my day by going into a 230 bed hospital with hundreds of people coming and going seems a little lonely to me (hospitals are wonderful support systems!) but I think that resembles the path to your dream.  So, I think we just need more people on the path.  Sell your mills if the time is right- or as right as it can be.  Or make a plan to do so. It's a beautiful life and I'm living it.


I'll leave you with a final quote from Up in the Air... 

Ryan Bingham: Your resume says you minored in French Culinary Arts. Most students work the frier at KFC. You busted tables at Il Picatorre to support yourself. Then you got out of college and started working here. How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams? Bob: Twenty seven thousand a year. Ryan Bingham: At what point were you going to stop and go back to what made you happy? 

Love, 

Lisa