Yes, I Quit My Job

It’s Day 2 of my new life and it’s still feeling very weird, very new, very scary but I’ll admit it, I love it. It’s been two days since my last official day at work and I’ve been fielding a lot of calls, text messages, and questions, so I thought, just get it over with.

Did I quit my job? Yes, yes I did.  Now, I’m sure the next question is, why?

Days after I submitted my resignation letter, I came across this quote by Gary Vaynerchuk that perfected encapsulated the why “You jump when you can afford to drown.”  I have been dreaming about quitting my job for years, but I was always too afraid. My life has always been “safe”. I’ve always had a mattress, a bungee cord, a life vest, something to fall back on. I’ve always strayed away from the difficult, the mundane, the things that made me afraid, I jumped because I am ready to live a different life and because I can afford to and I’m willing to drown for my dreams and my goals. I am 33 years old, no kids, no debt, educated, talented, fearless and creative with a strong desire to buck societal norms.

I can hear my phone ringing right now, my family is probably reading this like, ‘wth is she talking about’, “her good government job”.  Yes, I quit a good job, a job I wholeheartedly loved, until I didn’t love it anymore. I started working as a consultant for my former job in 2013 and then later on as a full-time social media strategist in 2014, and it was one heck of a ride. Sitting here thinking back on all the amazing opportunities and people I had the pleasure of working and traveling with is making me teary-eyed.  Waking up and promoting my country with my framily (friends turned family) to the world was something I had always dreamt about, I honestly willed that into existence. Yes, I will miss it greatly, but I’ve got next.

Like the late Dr. Myles Munroe said, “the wealthiest place in the world is not the gold mines of South America or the oil fields of Iraq or Iran. They are not the diamond mines of South Africa or the banks of the world. The wealthiest place on the planet is just down the road. It is the cemetery. There lie buried companies that were never started, inventions that were never made, bestselling books that were never written, and masterpieces that were never painted. In the cemetery is buried the greatest treasure of untapped potential.”  I don’t want to go to the grave with God’s gifts stored in me. I want to exhaust my talents, build companies, make an impact on the world, I want to leave a legacy for my children and I want to make myself proud. I want to live a life of purpose.

Am I terrified? Hell yea. Entrepreneurship is no walk in the park. It’s long hours, it’s more responsibility, it’s sacrifice, persistence, selflessness and its trusting God’s plan for your life. If he brings you to it, he’ll bring you through it. I’m prepared for this next chapter in my life and I hope that if you are still reading this, you will continue to support me in my endeavors. I have so many things planned for SheSoMajor – brand, the blog and the person behind the blog. Thank you for your support throughout the years, I am always grateful.

Now, before I go, I have a few tips on if you’re thinking about taking the plunge and quitting your job.

1. Can you afford to quit? – There are a lot of things that you should think about before you quit your job, namely, can you afford to!  It’s easier to quit if you’re debt-free, childless and have little to no responsibility. If you’re 2-3 kids in, a mortgage, car payments, quitting wouldn’t be the wisest thing unless you have a legitimate income stream to take care of your responsibilities.
2. Do you have a plan? – Some people wake up, walk into the office and quit but have no plan. If you’re going to quit your job, have you began to think about your next move? If you’re opening a business, have you started to formulate your business plans? Have you been running your business on the side and then going into it full-time? Do you have customers? Have some sort of plan in place.
3. Do you really want to quit? – Most people quit their jobs because they’re unhappy, hate the environment, or not challenged. Before quitting, express your frustrations to management. Is there something else you’d like to do at work? Do you think you’re being unfairly treated? Exhaust all avenues before you quit. Have open dialogue and conversations because misunderstandings could be easily ironed out with a simple face to face conversation. If you’ve tried and it’s not getting better, begin job hunting. Like a former boss once told me, the best time to look for a job is when you already have a job.
4. Do you have support? – Becoming an entrepreneur or jobless makes one humble. Are you willing to put your pride and ego aside, because that’s what it takes when you have to ask for help.  Friends, and family will ultimately be the ones you have to lean on in times of need, so make sure you’ve got them. It could be as simple as babysitting the kids for a few hours, helping you sell and promote products or loaning you a spare buck, having a support system is so vital!
5. Have you been saving? – I save for rainy days, sunny days and everything in between. If you polled five of my family and friends about my financial habits they’d tell you the same thing, “Sherice is so cheap!” And they’re not wrong. As a child, my aunt instilled in me the power of saving and those lessons have never left me and I’m passing them on to you. Save as much as you, for as long as you can if you are intending to quit your job. Even if you’re not quitting, save!
6. Never burn a bridge – I don’t care how bad a situation gets for you, always quit with class and dignity. Follow proper protocols and procedures because you never burn a bridge. You never know when you will need a reference, a number, an email, a shoutout, a plug…you just never know. Be an adult, even if you’re the only one in the room.

I know many people will understand my decision, and many won’t but that’s ok with me, this is for me. Just wish me well and watch me work!