Goodbye, office life!

After almost four years, Thursday was my last day at my job. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had, the things I've learned, and the people I've met. But at the same time, for several reasons, it's time to move on, and I'm very ready for the next chapter.

 The truth is, I was never meant for the office life. I'm too quiet, too bad at small talk, too locked in my own head while I work. It takes me years to warm up to people, and in a high turnover environment, that leaves someone like me with very few people to talk to, when I do feel like talking. And, office life where I live means a commute, if you want to make a good salary. Mike and I have proven that our family can tolerate one parent with a long commute, but when both of us do it, the effects are evident almost immediately. It just doesn't work.

 When I decidedly to open up my job search this year, I wasn't really sure what I wanted. There were a few options, but most of them involved a negative, like loss of flexibility, pay cuts, losing benefits, or keeping my beast of a commute. There was only one option that didn't have those negatives: pursue the long tome goal, and get that work from home job I'd been dreaming about for 17 years, and working towards for 7. A few months into a casual job search, I narrowed my focus and hit it hard. There was not a rush to leave my current job, I just wanted to get out. So I would pursue it with all I had until I found what I really wanted.

 And I did find it. Thursday was my last day in the office overlooking the Chicago River. It was my last mile long walk down Lasalle Street in the morning, and back again in the evening. It was my last 50 minute train ride, each way. I might sometimes miss that view, but I won't miss that commute, probably ever. This weekend I worked at setting myself up for success in my new position, and tomorrow morning I start the job that I went back to school to eventually get. I couldn't be more excited. I thought I'd be nervous, but I'm really not. It feels, quite literally, like coming home, which is exactly what I'm doing.

 Interestingly enough, this drawing appeared on the chalk wall at the office around the same time I hit the job search hard. It has been inspirational to me these last couple of months so I finally took a picture. I've focused on creating the future I want and I'm excited to move forward.