Part 1 / How to build a dream job when you work a day job
Part 2 / My last truck (leaving the day job)
You are now reading Part 3!
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After leaving my dayjob HERE, I promised I’d update you on how I finally made the final jump into blogland.
I say this like I know what I’m talking about. But I kinda don’t. I only quit in September, so the full wrath of it all hasn’t hit yet.
(How I worked up to quitting is in the post, How to build a dream job while you work a day job)
But… I will say this. It feels like I’ve always done this. As if “junk intravenous” took over long ago and it’s just part of who I am.
The only thing different? I don’t dread anything that’s ahead of me. Nor any day. Nor any time of day.
Every day is a good day!
Is that even a thing?
Oh yes my friends, it most surely is.
Why don’t they put ‘self confidence’ and ‘yes you can’ in bottles yet? If I could sell it, I would.
Because that’s what this ultimately took.
I just got to the point where I didn’t even care if I went under. I just needed out. And that’s saying a lot.
Here’s the thing. If you think the indecision part was the scariest, it wasn’t for me. I knew what I wanted LONG ago. The hardest part of all was actually going through with it.
I made excuses. I dragged my heels. I whined on the shoulders of good friends, in hopes they’d coax me to do it! I was codependent for other’s needs before mine. I was a mess of indecision and fear. I basically gave up happiness and family needs over financial freedom.
But, there comes a time when you have to jump or you’ll never EVER make it happen. You can’t wish for things. You have to DO things, or they remain wishes forever.
Oh… I had plenty of survival techniques. My lah lah land while working was thinking about what I’d write once I got home. I have total memory lapses of many jobs done over the years. Crazy sounding, isn’t it?
It was like, if you’re reading and someone talks to you, you can’t hear them talk. My reading was my blog, and the talking was the work.
I had to write everything down, and I mean everything, because I couldn’t bring myself to retain the memory of details. The notes I have on the work orders were very precise, right down to fractions of an inch. I couldn’t rely on memory, nor just winging it, because I wasn’t utilizing it. It was gone.
I was too busy being ‘elsewhere.’
Sounds a little dark doesn’t it? Yes. It was. This was the part that did damage, because I overthought everything. And I was miserable.
And then one day while lifting my arms to do the work, it felt like I was being burned. The weight of indecision and fear was unbelievable. I was actually gasping for air.
So there was only one thing left to do.
I very quite simply chose life. And prayed like the dickens I wasn’t a crazy person for giving up what I had.
I handed back the last work order, but with a white knuckled grip.
Now or never…
So I took a deep breath, walked to the edge, dug in my heels for stability in case I faltered, leaned forward….
… and free fell… letting it go to another.
I was officially on my own. Just like that.
And what happens next… is next. 🙂
Dream Box Building Challenge #20
What it ultimately took to make the final jump was belief in myself,
and trusting that God would carry me through.
Believe you can do something you feel you can’t.
Then prove it. 🙂
And how timely is this? Today I’m also guest posting at Knick of Time on this VERY topic!
Is fulltime blogging possible in a blog saturated market?
Cya there… by clicking HERE.
What a GREAT post! I wish you the best in all that you do Donna. Thank you for being an inspiration to me and so many others. I loved this quote of yours “You can’t wish for things. You have to DO things, or they remain wishes forever.”
Have a wonderful week ~ FlowerLady
This is great and you got it – when we release fear and trust God amazing things can happen. Thanks for reminding me of that. Sometimes I get tired because life takes over or I let it because I forget to trust. I love it when God takes control and we stand back and let him.
Thanks for sharing I love it when you share your heart.
Carole @ Garden Up green
Carole, I have a little card by my desk. It reads:
“Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23
That can be taken in so many wonderful ways, can’t it?
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And another…
“In all your ways acknowledge the Lord, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:6
This advice has never failed me yet!
Donna, I am so enjoying this series…you are making me ask “What is in my dream box?”. It is challenging and hard yet a journey of discovery. Thank you! Oh to figure out what I want to do then take that plunge! You are an inspiration!
Hugs,
Cecilia
What an inspiration you are!!
Donna: I just love your blog, you got me started junkin and I love it!! I love your “What is in my Dream Box” series. I am weight down my a full-time job that I no longer enjoy. Bills have me immobilized. Reading about the courage you have has given me a little bump to start thinking I can maybe do this myself. Thank you for being such and inspiration and sharing with us. Luanne
I so admire your honesty in this post of how scary it is to let go of the financial stability of a job that just doesn’t do it for you anymore, and to make the choice to be true to yourself and go after your dreams. You go girl!
donna all of your posts this month have been intimate and cathartic for me and you i can relate to you on a lot of levels i do feel like a friend if only in my imagination… i have no interest in becoming a blogger but id do love reading a good blog i like diying and i loove stories and you are doing a awesome job of both xx
Aww thanks Chris! It’s my hope that by sharing this, whatever one does can take from this somehow. I was hoping it wasn’t swaying too heavily on just the blogger life…
Donna, I know just what you were going through. I always knew that God wanted me to be a stay at home mom. When my daughters were young, I just never thought that it was possible. Then when my daughters were 17 & 11, we had a son and again my heart knew that I should stay home with him. But I went back to work when he was 4 months old. My problem was that I struggled with giving up control with our finances. I did not trust God or my husband to provide for our family. I was miserable every day. I finally had to turn everything over to God. But it was hard. When I finally did that, what a weight was lifted off of me. Our son was 3 years old when I quit my job. I was making double what my husband was making and everyone that I shared my dream with said that I was crazy and would not be able to survive financially. But God is good. He through my husband provided for our family above and beyond what we needed. Once I turned our finances over to them, I was free to be the person I was created to be. I was able to watch daily that both God and my husband could do to provide. It was beautiful to watch. It was a blessing beyond belief.
Have a great day!!!-Susan
Donna – you can’t go wrong trusting God!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I feel like you are putting into words feelings that I didn’t know how to express. I am where you were, trying to figure it out. Looking for answers or a sign. It’s encouragaing knowing that someone out there has done/is doing it. You are inspiring!
Traci, I was a little afraid to write this one, but now I know why I had to. I’m glad it touched you. Thank-you for telling me!
Being brave isn’t for the faint of heart! 🙂
I’m so glad you are here Donna. Keep up the good work.
Just hopped over to Knick of Time, great interview! Thank you for sharing so much blogging wisdom, you are such a valuable inspiration! Wish you the best!
I have two concerns: 1) Will your religious beliefs override your posts? I have never heard you mention god before. and 2) Will your “numbers” be more important than the stories, how-tos and show-ems? I have enjoyed your posts before you started the Dream Box Building. I am enjoying your journey of self-discovery as you build the Dream Box. After this, will you revert back to the way things were, or will you go in a very different direction where pallets and rusty things aren’t as important? I don’t expect you to answer this, but I do wonder where I might fit in if things change. Only time will tell. I wish you all the best.
Note to readers: I’ve been discussing this question with Fonda in private. Rest assured, my mantra is what this blog will always be about. Creating somethings out of nothings.
I may mention God from time to time (as I have in the past) because that’s who I am.
I may take on corporate sponsorships (as I have in the past) but will continue as always, to do so in an authentic way.
But one thing will NEVER change. And that’s to be a source of encouragement and inspiration for those that feel they can’t do for themselves. Because I’m about showing you that you can, through the love of my own passion, creating from junk.
It is my hope that things will NEVER change on Funky Junk. Why fix what isn’t broke? 🙂
Thanks for your question, Fonda!
May I borrow/quote you on our FB page? I love what you said “Believe you can do something you feel you can’t. Then prove it.” I love this.
I’d love it if you shared the link to the post with it, Sherry! Thank-you!
I really had to slap my had to reply to Fonda. Yikes!
Donna, i really needed this right now. I am 55 years old and just found what i love to do last year so i’m starting pretty late in life. Maybe i will get to retire in my early 60’s if i do make the time to do what i love, a little bit every day. I have always wanted to paint furniture but up until 2 years ago i was caretaker for my mom and my teenage son along with working 40-50 hours a week. My mom passed away in 2016 and my son is out on his own (kind of). So i sold my house and moved to Florida closer to my daughter and grandchildren and somehow i found a Jami Ray Vintage on You Tube. And then the Turquoise Iris and it took off from there. I am not experienced in this. I just watch, read and do. I started my first booth a few months ago and i love creating handmade smalls along with furniture. My smalls sell alot quicker. I love reading blogs and learning so i’m excited to see where i go from here. One step at a time. Thank you for the inspiration and ideas you share. The encouraging stories thank you for everything. My apologies for the long reply.