Jumping + Hoping for a Net

"Breathe, my friend. You are not old, you are young. You are not a mess, you are normal. Extraordinary, perhaps. In the blink of an eye your life will change. And it will continue to change for decades to come. Enjoy it, embrace it…be grateful for the ride. You are not old, you are young. And faith will get you everywhere. Just you wait."

I found this quote on Pinterest last week. And it was exactly what I needed, at just the right moment.

I feel like I'm jumping...and desperately hoping a net appears.

I'm leaving the safety and freedom of a full-time, consistent paycheck kind of job to live out my dreams.

Here's what happened. A few weeks ago, a local photographer put up a post in a Facebook group announcing that her studio needed a part time manager. I responded, thinking it sounded like fun but trying not to get my hopes up...because I feared it wasn't the right time. I wasn't planning to leave my 40 hour a week job + 12 hour a week commute until I had saved up enough money, bought more equipment, built up a solid clientele...you know, until it was safe.

But when the job offer came, I knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime. I'm an ENFP (for you non-Myers-Briggs people, that N stands for iNtuitive) type of person, and I just knew, deep in my core, that this was my chance.

And then, within 24 hours, Ben called me from his business trip to Orlando saying that he wasn't going to have a job when he came home. I think the saying goes that when one door closes, another opens, but in our case, it felt like a burst of wind came through the newly opened door and slammed the other one with a loud bang.

I asked for a sign to tell me what to do. This is what I got:

I'm still not sure what it means. Ben said I should have made my request more specific.

However, we decided together that the opportunity for me to learn business and photography skills from someone who has successfully built an amazing brand, and get to take pictures of beautiful weddings too, was what I needed to be doing. Regardless if it means the next few months might be tight while Ben figures out his next career move.

I am absolutely terrified. I am trying to have faith in the process and believe in my own determination and resourcefulness to make this work. At the same time, I know that what was at stake if I stayed with the safety of my other job was ultimately my happiness. And that is the one thing that I know I will not have to sacrifice to follow my dream. I know this because my days will now be filled with more of this...

...and spending time with the amazing person who is willing to jump into the unknown with me. After supporting each other through the agonies and emotions and craziness of the past week, it makes me feel content that we are by each others' side. We will make it through because we are in it together.

And if I'm honest, I'm also terribly excited to make new friends, and be able to wear open-toed shoes to work.

So here's to letting go...and beginning the free fall...