At First it Felt Like a Consolation Prize: Part Two

So you all know that I was back in MN at the end of July for my sister’s bachelorette party, and bridal shower. The day after I got there I had my weekly call with my manager. My manager and I have both been open and transparent with each other since I started in this role. He knew I was taking a big risk with this job and move to Texas, and I knew that he was taking a risk on hiring me knowing I didn’t have previous sales experience. We talked extensively back in May about where I thought I wanted to be in terms of my career. Unfortunately, at the time their wasn’t a position open, and I was still determined to finish out the year in sales. The position would have also required me to move again, and it likely wouldn’t be back to MN. I really like Texas so that was another reason I really wanted to stick things out.

So back to that call with my manager…he starts to ask me how I am feeling about the job and before I can even answer him he is telling me about a position he thinks would be a perfect fit for me in Dallas. At first I was kind of annoyed because this was the farthest thing from my mind that weekend, and I certainly didn’t want to be thinking about this when I was supposed to be enjoying time with my sisters. He said he would be remiss if he didn’t at least tell me about it since it was in Dallas and I wouldn’t have to move. He said it was completely up to me, and he would support whatever decision I made. He also told me the hiring was expecting to hear from me if it was something I was interested in. I had mixed feelings. I was set on finishing out this year in this role, but I also knew that another job in Dallas may not come around anytime soon. I went back and forth all weekend about what to do. The biggest thing I was struggling with was feeling like if I applied for this new job it meant that I failed in sales. (I am tearing up even as I type this.)

That following Monday I called and spoke with the hiring manager. I was intrigued with the position, and decided that I would apply and at that point it was out of my hands. If it was meant to be I would be offered the job, and I would accept. When I moved to Texas I knew that even if my current job didn’t work out, I was brought to Texas for a reason and maybe this sales job was just the means to get me here. I applied that evening, and by Tuesday morning I had two interviews set up for Wednesday and one for Friday all while I was in Minnesota. I had two additional calls the following week. The second call was the interview with my manager. I was so excited to tell her all the reasons why I was the right fit for this job. Our interview was on a Friday, and she told me that I would know on Monday.

I was so excited to hear whether I got the job I could hardly sleep. On Monday August 13th I was offered the job, and I accepted. You would have thought I would have been elated. I was just offered a job that was not sales related, I got to stay in Texas and still work from home. The crazy thing is I didn’t feel anything. I think more than anything I felt sad. Not because I wasn’t excited about this new opportunity, but because once I accepted the job I officially felt like I had failed. I felt like this new job was just the consolation prize.

Luckily I have friends, family, colleagues, my current manager and my new manager who all reminded me that I didn’t fail. I took a big risk, accepting a job I had no experience in and moving across the country by myself, that most people would not have taken. They reminded me that until you try something you don’t know whether or not it will be a good fit for you. I tried sales, and I was able to be self-aware and honest with not only myself but my manager that this wasn’t the best fit for me. I have no regrets. I have learned so much in this role, and I am so incredibly grateful that my manager took a chance with me. He has been one of my biggest advocates. He told me he thinks very highly of me as do the directors which is a great feeling.

I take a lot of pride in my work, and I am used to being the best at what I do. This position was very humbling because I wasn’t the best, and I struggled. I tried really, really hard to work on my weaknesses but this job just wasn’t meant for me. I realized it wasn’t playing to my strengths. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and our natural inclination is to try and strengthen our weaknesses. But why? There are just some things that we will never be good at, but there is someone else out there who will be great at it because it is one of their strengths. No matter how much you work on your weakness it will never compare to someone who is naturally strong in that area. I realized that I would rather strengthen the things I am already good at and come naturally to me, than to spend time trying to strengthen my weaknesses. I don’t know about you, but I want to be the best at what I do.

As the days have gone by since I accepted this new role I have felt a weight lift off of me. I have more energy. I have actually had trouble sleeping many nights because I have so many ideas about things I want to do. I realized I think I lost myself somewhere in the last eight months because I was so focused on and stressed out over work. I am excited again. I will finally get to feel settled in Texas. I am back to reading for fun. I am back at the gym. I want to start blogging again. I want to be an inspiration to others, and help motivate others to reach their potential.

This new job wasn’t a consolation prize, it was a blessing. My new manager even said there was a reason I was brought to Texas. I am looking to forward to starting this new journey right after Labor Day. I will be working in our Compliance Division as a Client Development Manager. It might sound fancy, but I will primarily be doing client/project management with our Compliance Learning. I am really excited to learn something new, and work closely with my new team. I believe this is just the start of what could be some amazing opportunities.

I know this has been a long post, but I needed to share it because I know there is someone who needs to hear it. For that person I want you to know it is okay to try. It is okay to be scared to death and do it anyways. It might be the best thing that ever happened to you. It may not work out. But the one thing I can tell you for certain is that you will never know if you don’t try. Remember, even the best stumble and fall sometimes. What makes them the best is that they pick themselves up, and continue on as if nothing even happened.

“We don’t like to stretch ourselves because it is painful and uncomfortable, but it is through discomfort and stretching that we become stronger and grow. When we stretch ourselves we look back and realize that it is our challenges, not our comforts, that make us wiser, stronger, and better.” ~ Jon Gordon

At First it Felt Like a Consolation Prize: Part One

I still can’t believe I have been in Texas for eight months now. The time has gone by so fast! The even crazier part is that in those eight months I have never really felt settled here.

They day I arrived in Texas (well I guess even before I got here) there were so many unknowns. Would I like Texas? Would I like my apartment, and the area I live in? Would I like my job? Was the job going to be a good fit for me?

I honestly never saw myself working in a high-caliber sales role, but after working with a great sales partner it was something I really wanted to try. I had thought about it for awhile, and I never wanted to wonder “what if?” I was nervous when I applied for the position, and I was nervous when I accepted the position. I told myself I would try it for a year, and see what I thought.

I think the scariest part of this job was knowing that, unlike other jobs, you didn’t have to do something egregious to lose your job. It all came down to revenue, regardless of the number of hours you worked or your level of activity, and if you weren’t bringing it in you could lose your job. I knew this before I even accepted the position, but it didn’t make it any less nerve-wracking.  This is a big part of why I have not felt settled here in Texas. I have had a few good months, but I have also had some bad months.

I knew about three months in that sales wasn’t going to be a long-term career path for me. I remember talking to my mom and a couple colleagues earlier this year. Each of them asked me the same question “Would I still feel that sales wasn’t for me even if I was consistently doing really well?”  My answer to each one of them was that even if I was consistently successful I still would not be interested in a career in sales.

Sales is a GRIND (my revenue goal is around $500k, and my retention goal is $1.8 million). It is constant stress, it is non-stop, and it can be all consuming. As my friend and colleague told me “money never sleeps.” I actually looked forward to the weekends so that I would have uninterrupted time to work! I can tell you that the best part of my job has been meeting with my customers. I only work with existing customers, and I have learned so much from them. It has been fascinating to learn about their business, their industries, and their experience and advice about living in Texas!

Life By Design

​My Life by Design personal development group is all ready to go in September!

Do you feel like you are just going through the motions everyday? Surviving but not really living life? Do you feel like you are meant to do so much more?
If you answered YES to any of those questions this group is for you!!  
It will be an ongoing private group focusing on personal development in all areas of our life. Each month will focus on a different topic. 
The only requirement is a journal and least 15 minutes a week for guided self-reflection.
Comment below if you would like more information or to be added to the group.

TODAY IS THE DAY to start paying attention to the stress in your life.

​TODAY IS THE DAY to start paying attention to the stress in your life.

Stress is a signal from your inner guidance that something is out of kilter in your life. 

The negative symptoms are intuition’s attempt to let you know it is time to focus on what gives you energy and joy and to begin to let go of what drains you.

Accept the fact that uncertainty and anxiety will sometimes be your companion on the path to change. ~ Divine Intuition

TODAY IS THE DAY to celebrate your wealth!

​TODAY IS THE DAY to celebrate your wealth!

Do you know where the wealthiest place in the world is?
It’s the graveyard with all of the untapped and unused potential. 
All of the people who didn’t pursue their dreams because they were afraid.
Afraid of failure.
Afraid of success.
Afraid that they were not worthy.
Afraid of venturing outside of their comfort zone.
The good news is that you are not in the graveyard…YET.
YOU HAVE THE GIFT OF TODAY. YOU ARE WORTHY. YOU CAN DO IT. YOU WILL FAIL, multiple times, on your way to SUCCESS, and that is to be expected. If you aren’t failing you aren’t doing much in life.
Honor your wealth and take action. We all get three to four BIG ideas a year, and if we were to take action on just one of them it could literally change our lives.

It’s Time to Take Care of YOU!

Do you remember what you are told to do in case of emergency while flying? You are told to put YOUR oxygen mask on first because if you don’t first help yourself, you won’t be able to help anyone else. How many of you are putting YOUR oxygen mask on first in your own life? I would be willing to bet that the answer is not many. WHY is this?

There is no doubt that we all want to be more, have more, and do more…but we don’t. We can come up with many excuses why we don’t such as we don’t have time, the resources, the finances, or the support. However, I think the real reason is because we are afraid to fail…afraid that we won’t be good enough, that we won’t measure up. My question to you is good enough for who? Who or what are you trying to measure up to? The ONLY person you should be worried about comparing yourself to, being good enough for, or measuring up to is the person you were yesterday.

We are all scared of failure, some of us just hide it better than others. But let me tell you this, the person who takes action but doesn’t finish will always be a step ahead of the person who never started. Just as we are all scared of failure, none of us is perfect. Your goal is progress, not perfection.

We all make time for things and people who are important to us. If you are not taking time to care for you, what are you telling yourself and your loved ones? You guessed it…you are subconsciously telling yourself and your loved ones that you aren’t important. I would beg to differ.

Taking care of YOU is something that you need to schedule into your life like anything else. If you have time in your schedule for your nails, your hair, happy hour, golf with your buddies, then you have time to devote to taking care of you…you just aren’t making it a priority.

All you have to do is START! I don’t care if it is 5 minutes, 5 blocks, or 5 reps. Believe me when I tell you that once you have started, the hardest part is over! You are already half-way there, and momentum  will carry you the rest of the way.

What are you going to do to make yourself a priority, and take care of YOU? What can YOU commit to for the next 30 days to put you on the path to becoming the best version of YOU?!?

Faith

Back in late 2014, I met a woman who after speaking with me for 10 minutes told me she knew I was capable of having “whale experiences.” Little did she know how much I needed to hear that at that time.

In early January of this year I was really thinking about this idea of coaching, but I still wasn’t 100% certain that giving up practicing to pursue coaching was the right thing to do. I prayed that God would show me a sign that I was on the right path. I asked to see two things, a blue jay and a whale. I had even told my mom about the two things and why I chose them.

As I have been struggling the past few months I kind of lost sight of my goals and those two signs I was waiting for.

Yesterday I spent the entire day with my mom for her birthday. Before we left we were in the kitchen talking, and my brother who knew none of this said, “look a blue jay!” I didn’t get up in time to see it, but my mom did. I immediately reminded her that that was one of the signs I had asked for.

Later that day her and I were at Kirklands, and as we were walking through the store I happened to look down just as we were passing a carved wooden whale. I couldn’t even believe it!

I am on the right path. It may be slower than others, but it’s my path and it will happen in my time.

Truth Tuesday

For the past few years many of you know I have been soul searching trying to figure out my purpose.I knew my passion was personal development, and inspiring and motivating others. What I didn’t know was what purpose those passions would serve.

The coaching opportunity had been presented to me numerous times over the last four years, but I never looked into it because I was so focused on what I thought I was supposed to be doing…using my law degree.

If even one time I had taken a few minutes to let someone explain the opportunity, and why they thought it was a good fit for me I would be in a very different place right now. In fact, I would currently be on a cruise in Jamaica!  But I didn’t do that. I ruled it out without knowing anything about it.

Thankfully, I took the time this past January to learn a little more, and immediately said YES! Wouldn’t you know if two of the things that make me happ, and that I was already doing just happened to be two of the three vital behaviors of a coach!

My goal is to build a life that I don’t need a vacation from. To become so financially secure that I forget it is payday.

However, my big picture dream is to impact 100,000 lives in my lifetime. To educate, empower, and encourage 100,000 people to go from a life of settling to a life of success, whether that be physically, emotionally, financially, or all three; and finally lead them to a life of significance as they lead others from a life settling to success.

I can’t build this dream by myself. If you want to go from a life of settling, of wondering if this is all there is to a life of success and significance then comment below with “Team Success to Significance” to learn more!

21 Day Fix Challenge Group

I just finished my absolute favorite workout…Total Body Cardio Fix. This was the first Beachbody video that I ever tried, and this was just this past January. I remember that I wheezed through the entire thing as I was still getting over a sinus infection. Since I hadn’t worked out in probably about three or four months I had to do the modified version of the exercises, but I finished all 30 minutes of it. After that one workout I was hooked. Not only did I purchase the full program, I decided to become a coach.

Knowing that I had nearly 100 pounds to lose, I knew that if I could finish this workout overweight and sick that anyone could do it. Although I can’t necessarily say that I have lost any weight yet (I struggle with nutrition and this area will always be a work in progress for me) I can tell you that the program works. How? Because each subsequent week that I do each video I am stronger, able to complete more reps, using heavier weights, and no longer have to do the modified versions of the exercises! This is proof that all you have to do is show up daily and push play.

Do you have 30 minutes to devote entirely to yourself for 21 days? Do you want to tone up for the summer? Do you want to have a sense of accomplishment each day? Do you want to inspire others in your life to get healthy? Do you want to feel better and have more energy?

If you answered yes to any of those questions then I invite you to join my 21 Day Fix challenge group. The group will be starting Monday March 28! Like, comment or send me a private message if you would like to know more! The only thing you have to lose is your excuses!

Wisdom Wednesday

The fact of the matter is  not everyone will like you. It doesn’t even matter how good of a person you are. If someone doesn’t celebrate the person you are, move on without them. You don’t have to play games to get people to like you. Be you, authentically you!