I spent 11 years at a company that I thought would be my end-all. The company that I would end up retiring from. At first, I was excited because I loved what I did until I didn’t anymore. The final straw was when I didn’t get a chance to apply for a promotion that I felt I would have been great for, given how much time I had spent at the company. Of course, there were other factors, but they all culminated in my decision to change jobs.

I was nervous, for sure. Changing jobs is not easy, especially when you’ve established yourself at a company as I had. However, I knew that I had to make a change. It was getting to the point where I didn’t even want to get out of bed anymore. That is sad when you are working from home. After talking with my family, I made the choice to look for a new job. It was hard at first. I was applying for a lot of things but I was limited in what I could get due to my extended experience in one field.

Then something happened. I received communication from a company that I had never heard of and offered a chance to apply. It was a chance of rejection, something that brings anxiety to me. During the interview, I was so nervous in the interview. Who wouldn’t when the people on the call were a potential supervisor, the director of the department, and the VP of Support? The very fact that they were on the call was scary when it came to interviewing for the new job.

I remember getting off the interview and thinking I had done a horrible job. After all, I had not needed to look for a job in so long that I almost forgot how to do this. But I was wrong. the call not came not too long after the interview for the job. I then had to decide, did I take this job that was less pay than the one I had, or did I stay where I was and risk my mental health?

I chose to take the new job, and I have not regretted it. In the 11 years that I had spent at my old job, I had never received a promotion. Lateral moves, yes, but promotions, no. They kept giving me the excuse that I was too good where I was. At this new company, I was there six months before I got promoted to level 2 in my field. Not only that, but they have a lot of internal openings, and I was able to apply for one. After nine months with the company, I am about to start a new position resulting from a second promotion. That is two promotions in less than a year. I also will be making more than I ever did at my old company.

Sometimes you have to take the scary leap and try something new. At first, I wasn’t sure it had been the right decision. My mental health was better, but the pay cut was a bit painful. Now I don’t doubt I made the right decision. I am better for this choice, and I would encourage anyone that is questioning if they should take the chance to take it.