Are you too comfortable in your comfort zone? A few years ago, I was. I was also moody, irritable, and very unhappy. I was working at a call center. I had been for seven years. I was working on myself, back then, too. At least, I was trying to. All of this was happening when another opportunity came along. I had to decide, to keep on as things were, or to take the leap of faith.

My first leap was to another call center. It didn’t last. I found myself unemployed for nine months. When the unemployment ran out, and I still wasn’t earning enough with my own entrepreneurial adventures, I had to re-enter the working world.

After over ten years working at a desk, I was heading out into the retail world. During a pandemic. Thankfully, it was a store that catered to licensed beauty professionals, not a store that was open to the public. It made me feel a little better to know that we restricted who could shop there for wholesale-priced products for their businesses.

But could I do it? Could I work in a retail setting after working at a desk job for over ten years? There was only one way to find out. I was very upfront and honest with my boss about my concerns. She listened and told me that when I needed to go out back to rest my leg, which has a nerve issue, that I could. I explained I would not be constantly wanting to go sit, but that when it was hurting terribly, I could not focus on work as it was very distracting when it acted up. There were tasks I could do when I was needing a few minutes to rest my leg. I could read emails and review other tasks for work when I was sitting. If you have ever experienced nerve pain, you will know how intense it can be. Zero stars. I do not recommend it.

I spoke to my doctor about my concerns as well. I had been on medication for my leg, and I asked if I could go on it again. With the pain medication, and me working to build up my stamina, before I knew it, my boss was relaying feedback to me I was not sitting as much as I had been when I started the job. I had adapted to working on my feet again, and it felt good to know that they had noticed my efforts and that my colleagues reported their positive feedback.

During the last eleven months, I worked at this store. This past week, I have completed my two weeks’ notice, and I have started a new job. It came with a contract and a title. I am a subcontractor hired by an online marketing firm. Enter the new set of anxiety and jitters for the next thing I am leaping towards. I have every faith that I am up to the job and that I will succeed, but the first week has been hard on my head. Not because of anything other than myself overanalyzing how much I don’t know. I am my own worst enemy in situations like this, and on the first two days, I felt like a fish out of water.

I am working from home, with a huge learning curve. This coming from a DIY addict who has fought her way through indie publishing her first book and building her own website. I know when to ask for help, and by the middle of the week, I realized I needed to ask some questions. I have explained that I will ask a lot of questions at the start, but once I understand the processes, I will be more comfortable working on my own. Time will pass, and I will learn more new things. Before I know it, I will do things on my own and learn how to handle what I need to do.

I asked for this. I prayed for the next thing to come along and give me the next step in my journey. It is a leap, but if you do not push your boundaries, you will never learn what the next significant thing is that you can accomplish. I know I can do it if I show up and give it everything I have. Which I am prepared to do. I am still going to work on my own dreams and goals on my own time. While I am doing this, I am also helping my new boss reach more of hers. I firmly believe that when we support each other, we rise together. Here I grow again!

Feature Photo and Editing by Tish MacWebber via Canva.