At one time I worked as an accountant for a major publishing company and I thought I’d found my dream job. I loved books. I liked the people I worked with. I met some interesting authors. After being self-employed for several years it was nice to have the security of a regular income. But before long I realised that the work I was doing was so boring I started dreading going to work.
Talking to my family one night I said, ‘I think I’m going to resign’. My security conscious dad begged me to reconsider. Dad said, ‘But Anne you’re an accountant!’ My dad had a very valid point as such jobs weren’t always easy to get without formal qualifications. I knew I did the job well, I was valued, my job was secure and there was the potential to move up within the company. I also knew that I couldn’t do this work long term because it was soul destroying. I needed a creative outlet and I needed to work with people. So I resigned and it’s a decision I’ve never regretted.
Two years later I was offered the position of starting and managing The Financial Woman, a financial planning business for women. That job changed my life. It suited my essential nature. It launched my writing and speaking career. It set the foundation for the work I do today. Eight years after I resigned, my first book was published by the very company I once worked for.
Although I like security it is nowhere near as important to me as it is to some people. Recently one of my daughters said to me, ‘I’m worried that if I don’t leave this job soon I am going to get locked into a career and lifestyle I don’t really want.’ My daughter has been very successful, after just a few years of working she was offered the role of setting up and managing a large medical specialist centre. She enjoyed the job and liked the people she worked with but her passion is writing. She eventually left that job to travel the world, a decision she now says is one of the best she has ever made.
Most people start their adult life with so many hopes and dreams and within the span of ten years so many settle for less than they really want. They get trapped by security, financial obligations and the expectations of others until they become so locked in they feel they have no other choice.
Ignoring the call of your heart can lead to confusion or a midlife crisis. Driven by the need to find a better way to live some seek the services of a life coach, or look for the answers in books. If you are willing and open you can rewrite the story of your life.
Look at your life as it is today and ask yourself these questions:
- Do you get more enjoyment from a leisure activity than you do from your job?
- Do you feel as if something is missing no matter how successful you are?
- Are your weekends the highlight of your week?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, it’s time to let go of the illusion of security and reassess your life. I’m not suggesting you throw in your job or do anything reckless, just take time to reassess. Be open to finding a way even where there appears to be no way. Ask for help. Hire a life coach. It’s scary to step out of your comfort zone and follow your heart, but the joy that comes from being true to yourself makes the journey so worthwhile.