Change can be difficult. For some reason us humans don’t like change, even though it’s usually good for us. It puts into questioning the certainty that we think we have. But in reality nothing in certain. Change can help us grow, achieve the things that we want, and leave situations that may not be good for us anymore. All that being said, change is scary.
I’m thinking about change because as of writing this, I am once again quitting my job. This time it’s my part time job, and it’s not because I hate it, I loved it for a good amount of time and it’s helped me grow and make connections, but it’s been pulling on me for the last few months. Everyone who I really liked was leaving and there were some questionable things being done to me that I let slide. Taking a step back I realized that I wasn’t really being treated the way that I wanted to be, and I felt like it was time for me to move on. I wasn’t actively looking for another job, but I shortly after I decided I wanted to move on, I saw a job posting on social media of a something that sounded perfect for me. I thought that was my sign to change.
I polished up my resume, spent some time on a cover letter and sent it in. I didn’t hear anything for a few weeks and kind of forgot about it, until I got an email saying they wanted to do a virtual interview. I passed that test and then got an in person one the following week. A few days after that they offered me the job.
I knew that I had been led in this direction for a reason and I told myself if they offered me the job, I would take it. But now I have to make the decision to leave the job I’m at. It’s easy to stay in a situation that is familiar and I was starting to think it might be better to just stay because I know what to expect, it was easier to stay, and I was also getting paid more.
But then I went back to my values. I was talking to my brother on the phone and he reminded me of them. I don’t want a side job just for income or ease, I want something that helps me grow, something that I enjoy doing, something that gives me purpose, and this new job does all of that. Sure, there are things I’m going to have to figure out with my schedule changing, making less money, but if I look at my values, this new job is in alignment with them. And my old job is just not anymore. So, the rest of the stuff will sort itself out.
I emailed the new job back and said I would take it. I was getting a little nervous to quit because I knew they wouldn’t expect it, and I was feeling guilty since a lot of people had just left. But I reminded myself that I’m doing what’s best for me.
The next time I went in for work, I sat down with my boss, the owner, and told him that I had taken another job and I wouldn’t be able to work here anymore. He was quite surprised and actually suggested that I stay on with them in a smaller way with a more flexible role. This kind of surprised me because the way I was being treated prior I thought they would just want me to leave. We didn’t really talk too much of the terms but it was on the table.
It was now my last weekend and I was really thinking about how I wanted to stay on, and what would work for me. Since I had a some time to think about it, I came up with exactly the role I wanted. I came up with a number that I would like to get paid per week, and the tasks that I would do, and was going to pitch it to my boss to see what he said. I thought he might go for it, but I also thought he might not too. But the important thing is I was going to stick to my guns either way. If he said no, I was prepared to leave and cut my ties. If he said yes I would be happy with it because I created my own terms.
He agreed to my terms, and now I have this role at my old job that I am happy with. Because I followed my values, I got this new job I wanted, plus this smaller role at my old job. This solves the making less money issue I had, and I didn’t even plan it that way. It’s a reminder for me that following my values is going to lead me in the direction that I’m suppose to be and that not making decisions based on money is what’s going to make me happy.