Contibutor PHOTO- JackieBy Jackie Wellwood

I didn’t want to quit.  I thought I pretty much liked the job.  It wasn’t my first choice, but it gave me the income I needed to pay bills while I worked on building my business.  And of course I had mastered the art of making any and all situations work regardless of anything.  I can adapt to any environment, adjust to different personalities, overlook people and circumstances that annoy me and be an overcomer!!!  Imagine my shock the day I found out that just because I CAN  do these things doesn’t mean I SHOULD.

I have worked off and on as a server in a few restaurants for the better part of the last decade.  It is the best part-time hourly income I have found in my situation.  I love talking to the people at the tables, running my own section each day and getting higher tips for giving good service.  There are downsides to the job, but that is true for most positions.

I felt compelled to keep my position in a restaurant even though it was interfering with building my business and writing my next book.  I even completed a challenge offered by the general manager that allowed me to have a better schedule.  Certainly I went to work on that Saturday with a good attitude that I could make the best of my situation…..until I got the lousy section for the third Saturday in a row.  I was standing around because people didn’t want to sit there while other servers were crazy busy making good money.  My attitude slipping, I ended up enraged when the cook didn’t make the order I placed for the table of six that finally sat in my section.  The first five or six times he harassed me on other days I handled it calmly and told the manager.  Nothing ever came of these requests for help. Harassment was a normal operating mode for this cook.  The other servers warned me it was not worth crossing him.

But this day I could not contain myself and out my mouth came the words “I can’t do this anymore.”  So that night I sent the general manager an email and I quit effective at the end of the next scheduled work week.  A pretty disappointing exit interview the next day effectively made my employment end immediately which made me happy.  Happy!!!

I am happier now than I have been in years.  I am free to pursue the writing of my new book, Lead With Your Integrity, on my own timetable. It is now possible to have the book in hand right before the holidays. The bottom line was not the money.  I was in an environment where I did not behave consistent with my moral code.  The environment was not conducive to who I am and what I am called to do.  And just because I made it work, didn’t mean it was good for me.  So what happened next after I quit?

Almost immediately money started coming in from various places.  Within two weeks I knew that money was not going to be a problem.  I am fully engaged in writing my book, life coaching  and booking speaking engagements.  This is what I am hard wired to do.  These pursuits are my passion and now they are my life work.  I stopped working in an environment that was unravelling me and stepped into my life which is jazzing me up!

Are you looking for happiness?  Is your work what you WANT to do? I challenge you to pursue your dreams and enjoy the happiness that results from being the woman you were meant to be.  And in my opinion when we are over 50 we OUGHT to be doing what we want to do.  It is never too late!!

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Jackie’s passion is to help you unlock your potential and thrive in your current situation (or change it if necessary).  Her fourth book, Lead With Your Integrity is scheduled for release on Fall 2015.   Contact Jackie at (309)310-4862 to book her as a speaker or set up a 30-60 minute complimentary, no obligation coaching session. Her email is jmwell@gridcom.net

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