Think Kit Day 4 - Ripened with Wisdom

I spent the majority of this past year feeling very mediocre. Like I was just going through the motions. I woke up in the morning, I went to my job, I did my job adequately, and I came home. It was fine. I wasn't miserable, per say, but I definitely was not happy. I didn't care about my work, I didn't feel like I was serving a purpose, I wasn't engaged.

To top it all off, my company seemed to be a sinking ship. Three major layoffs in a little over a year, people leaving and their positions not being replaced, constant talk from the higher ups about slashing budgets and scrutinizing every penny spent. While this didn't seem to be affecting me personally, it didn't give me a whole lot of confidence in my future there...or a future of the business at all.

Then in July, while talking to a fellow JCI member, he mentioned that his office was hiring a newly created position. We spoke little about the position and what the organization did, and the following day I emailed and asked for a job description.

When I looked at what the position entailed, I was nervous. I'd never professionally done event planning...my background is in marketing and communication, this job didn't call for that at all. It was program management. Sure, I had experience doing that, but...it wasn't....what if I couldn't....I don't know...

I didn't feel confident about applying for the job. Even though it sounded like something I would love to do, it wasn't exactly my background and I felt positive that I wasn't qualified in the least to do it. Additionally, in our conversation about the position, he'd mentioned the salary to me - $9K more than what I was currently making. How could I even justify that I was capable of receiving a pay increase of that magnitude? 

After sharing the position description with some family and close friends and receiving their blessings that I could, in fact, do this job, I sent my resume. I wasn't sure anything would even come of it. But I took the chance. That turned out to be the wisest decision I made in 2012. I got the job. I absolutely love it. I'm happier than I've been in a long time. I no longer feel mediocre or that I do not have a purpose. I feel complete. 

Moreover, I'm so excited to see what 2013 will bring. Surely new challenges as I grow comfortable in the position. New tests of my leadership ability. More confidence in myself. More engagement in my organization. The opportunities seem endless.


This post is part of Think Kit by SmallBox
Today's prompt: What is the wisest decision you made this year?