Which way to go??

Over the past few years, I seem to hear the same story over and again...and the funny thing is that every time I hear it, the person often feels like they are the only one. I was having a conversation with someone the other day. To be honest, it was an email "conversation" with a person I have never "met". Technology is such a crazy thing!! So, this Realtor showed our house not to long ago and was professional and kind enough to send a very nice note of feedback following the showing. I was impressed with her professionalism and courtesy, so I replied. Just the other day she sent me a quick email, and I just felt like we understood each other. Funny thing...I don't have time to have local friends, but I have friends all over the country and have this weird connection (Amanda our fabulous talented photog in LA is a prime example...and Andrea our fabulously talented graphic designer)! Seriously, I could take a girls trip with these awesome ladies and have the time of my life, but I have only met them in person for a total of maybe 8 hours!! Now add on the time on email, and we have been friends for a lifetime =)

So anyway, back the Realtor....she mentioned that she is a little unsure of her career. Sound familiar?? I feel like we all face this split in the road at one point or another and sometimes the arrow sign just isn't there. Since I also left a career in real estate a few years ago to start RuffleButts, I can certainly relate. The big difference is I left when I was completely overpaid (in my opinion) for doing very little "work" back then, but I was still missing something...that big word that comes up in almost every one of these conversations...passion. I was not fulfilled. I could not image my life 20 years from now in the same career.

Is this you? Have you always dreamed of doing something different? Or maybe it's just not clear what that dream is at the moment. Maybe you never really wanted to be a doctor or a teacher, but knew that you were passionate about photographing your friends. What is it that makes you go?

I used to read book after book searching for this answer. I remember reading one book called Follow Your Dreams And The Money Will Follow, or something like that. Sounded easy enough...the tough part is my dreams weren't paying the bills and were honestly, not quite clear. I took classes, joined groups, but nothing seemed to give me my answer. So, I am going to share with you my life-changing decision. I'm not promising that this will work for you, but I know with 100% certainty that I owe my RuffleButts realization to this discovery. I committed to 5-minutes of silent prayer daily. I know sounds super committed and religious, but I am honestly not all that responsible. The reality was that I would spend 5 minutes in my car with the radio off and would have my little "conversation" with God before going into the office. It was my moment of calm before the storm that I faced daily. I would just chat with Him, explaining my dilemma and asking for a little guidance. I would also ask him to help me see the good in the nasty people that I worked for and with. After a few months of this, I finally got desperate and begged. I hated my job and the people I worked for, so I tried to make a plea with God. I promised if he would just give me the "idea", I would do everything in my power to make it work. I understood that I needed to start my own business, I just had no clue what that was supposed to be. I then quit my job, knowing with 95% confidence that this was the right step (I mean really, when you make a major decision like that leaving your career behind along with all income, do you ever really know with 100% confidence you're doing the right thing?), and decided to dedicate myself to figuring out my answer. It was when I took a step back, started volunteering a local children's hospital, took sewing classes (something I had always wanted to d0), and invested in myself, that He knew I was ready. The idea was a light bulb moment for me, and from that minute on, I knew what I was supposed to do. I can literally remember where I was standing, the color of the cell phone I was using to tell my mom about my realization, the parking lot and the corner that it is located on...it is ingrained in my memory. Don't get me wrong, it was not always easy, or super clear along the journey, but I finally figured out which direction I was supposed to be going.

If this is you, have faith that you will figure it out. I don't know how, or when, but if you search long and hard, you will find it. You can not be scared to take that leap of faith, but you also must do your part in making sure it is the right leap. You must be sure that you are committed to doing EVERYTHING in your power to do it well and do it RIGHT. I still stumble and sadly, I sometimes forget who I owe this entire journey to, but when it comes down to it, I know that He led me and I am proud of myself for listening. And if you would have told me 10 years ago that I would be here today, I would have believed you, but I wouldn't have ever imagined the journey that it took to get here.