Page 106 - Free Yourself From

Making the Break 89

tion was a huge jump in scope and experience level from what I had
been doing. Moreover, it would require me to move from the Mid-
west, where I had lived all my life, to the East Coast, where I knew
no one.
Moving away from my family, friends, and a boyfriend would
require a big leap of faith, and the odds were not all in my favor. But
it was the opportunity of a lifetime; one that would offer challenges,
and opportunities to grow, learn, and experience an area of the coun-
try that seemed exciting and different from where I had lived.
I did a self-analysis, asking myself how this job would align with
my career goals. I considered the worst that could happen if I didn’t
succeed in the new job, or didn’t get along with my new boss, or
didn’t like the Washington, D.C., area. I considered how I would
handle being separated from family and friends.
After anguishing for several days over whether to take the famil-
iar and definitely manageable step or the dizzying leap, I knew that my
thought process was more emotional than rational. What it mostly
came down to was fear about leaving so many things I’d been com-
fortable with for so many years. I realized that while they were near
and dear to me, holding on to the familiar too strongly could limit my
opportunities to grow and prosper. I dug deeper and did a more ratio-
nal risk factor analysis and began to see all those changes as oppor-
tunities, rather than dangers. Opening to change would allow me to
advance and have more opportunities in both the short and long run.
So I decided to give Washington a chance. I would go for two
years and then decide whether to stay or reconnect with colleagues
in Indiana. I ended up staying there for more than six years and loved
the job. It definitely provided an accelerated learning curve and made
me more marketable, mature, and confident. It also opened the door
to numerous great relationships that I still have. To this day, I can
recall how scary the decision was, but I’m grateful that I found it
within me to take that leap.