CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
So, yeah. After 4 years of quietly grumbling my way through each and every workday, I've been laid off from The Job. I'm one of several people being affected by budget constraints. They made a point of emphasizing multiple times that it's not at all performance-related, and that I'll be eligible for unemployment benefits.
The layoff is effective September 1st, but they aren't requiring me to come in for a lot of August, and want me to concentrate the majority of my attention on looking for new work. I'll be paid out all of my unused PTO, too, which I have a metric ton of, because I rarely ever take more than the occasional long weekend for vacation. So, eh, it could be worse.
I also had my bloodwork done recently, and just before I got laid off, I'd met with my naturopath about the bloodwork results. My adrenals are not just exhausted, but depleted and not doing their job. My thyroid levels are off because they're trying to compensate for my overly-stressed adrenals. My B vitamin levels are low, my vitamin D is low (not shocking given our climate, but still), and my immune system is barely holding itself together.
I haven't been sick in a while, but the message was still pretty clear: the lifestyle I've been living is kicking my ass. With a full-time job, side business, social life, athletic goals, the self-care element fell by the wayside. I've been much better about slowing myself down before I completely burn out, but it's been over four years, and it's taken a toll.
I've already dropped a few pounds since the layoff, and I haven't even been trying. Maybe that should tell me something, eh? ;p
Thing is, with the bad stuff, there's also been good stuff, in the form of people asking about my work, both web and photographic, and being willing to pay for it. I couldn't take much on before, especially in the realm of web projects--40 hours/week at The Job was enough to send me fleeing from the computer, on some days--but now there's no reason why I can't say Yes to the opportunities. I have a lot of hours to fill.
Self-employment has been on my mind for a long time, and everything that's happened in July with the studio, the medical stuff, the positive interest in my work, and the layoff is reading to me like a gigantic, light-up sign telling me to stop being a sissy, and take hold of my destiny as a successful entrepreneuse.
So, okay, Universe. I'm listening. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
The layoff is effective September 1st, but they aren't requiring me to come in for a lot of August, and want me to concentrate the majority of my attention on looking for new work. I'll be paid out all of my unused PTO, too, which I have a metric ton of, because I rarely ever take more than the occasional long weekend for vacation. So, eh, it could be worse.
I also had my bloodwork done recently, and just before I got laid off, I'd met with my naturopath about the bloodwork results. My adrenals are not just exhausted, but depleted and not doing their job. My thyroid levels are off because they're trying to compensate for my overly-stressed adrenals. My B vitamin levels are low, my vitamin D is low (not shocking given our climate, but still), and my immune system is barely holding itself together.
I haven't been sick in a while, but the message was still pretty clear: the lifestyle I've been living is kicking my ass. With a full-time job, side business, social life, athletic goals, the self-care element fell by the wayside. I've been much better about slowing myself down before I completely burn out, but it's been over four years, and it's taken a toll.
I've already dropped a few pounds since the layoff, and I haven't even been trying. Maybe that should tell me something, eh? ;p
Thing is, with the bad stuff, there's also been good stuff, in the form of people asking about my work, both web and photographic, and being willing to pay for it. I couldn't take much on before, especially in the realm of web projects--40 hours/week at The Job was enough to send me fleeing from the computer, on some days--but now there's no reason why I can't say Yes to the opportunities. I have a lot of hours to fill.
Self-employment has been on my mind for a long time, and everything that's happened in July with the studio, the medical stuff, the positive interest in my work, and the layoff is reading to me like a gigantic, light-up sign telling me to stop being a sissy, and take hold of my destiny as a successful entrepreneuse.
So, okay, Universe. I'm listening. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.