New Beginnings…

“Life always gets harder near the summit” – quote from fortune cookie from tonight’s dinner.

So, two days ago I started a new job.  While this in itself is not big news, this will be my fourth job over the last four years, it is a big deal because I took a leap. 

I liked my last job, and had my best boss ever with that company.  I have kicked myself on several occasions over the last four years for not taking the leap.  I have had offers that involved very similar situations, new industry, new people, new location.  The latter was always the hang up.  I was scared to move.  I was scared to be in a new place, with new people, and no support.  I started each decision excited about moving, excited about all the things I could contribute to that company and that team, and excited about a new home, but soon I scared myself out of taking that leap. 

 Moving has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and according to my parents, even back to my first days.  We moved quite a bit, and I spent many years living with my grandmother, and moving each time our lease was up when I lived my dad by myself.  I had two different schools for 1st grade, a different one for 2nd grade, and thought it was the greatest thing when I was in the same house and school for 3rd through 5th grade.  But, we moved again and I thought it was the end of the world.  We were going to move two states away, and I was so scared that I threatened my parents that I was not going, that I would never leave.  Funny now, but at 11 years old that was my world, and I wouldn’t have the only home I had known for more than a year taken away from.  Turns out it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me up until then.  Since that move I had one home and one school system for the next six years, and the same hometown for eleven years. 

I have always answered the question, “Where are you from?” the same way for the past 34 years, “Richmond, Virginia.”  It is my home.  It is where I got my first post college job, It is where I met my wife, where my kids were born, and where I bought my first house.  It is a place that makes me feel safe, and lets me know that everything is okay.  It is where I told Molly, “I love you”, for the first time, where I coach my daughter’s soccer team, and where my son is learning to be “very fast”.  It is my comfort zone.

I as I reflect on all of this I remember going to Busch Gardens for the first time, and not riding the Loch Ness Monster rollercoaster, despite the prodding of my father and sister.  I kicked myself after we left.  Years later when I went back, that is the first thing I did.  After riding Loch Ness I kicked myself even harder for not taking that ride before, it was not as scary as it looked, hell I rode the Big Bad Wolf on that first trip and it was ten times scarier.   And how, in the last email my boss sent me, he said, “I hope that I helped you learn to step out of you comfort zone, because this will certainly help you going forward”.

 I guess what I am getting at is, while I can’t go back and take those other jobs, I can take this one.  I can take the leap.

And yes, it’s still scary.

Thanks for listening;)

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