This is Part 3 of a full series this month, taking you behind-the-scenes of leaving my corporate job, building and creating a business, and doing what you love. I’m pouring my heart out here, just warning you, and has nothing to do with healthy food and recipes. But don’t worry, those will be back soon! Haven’t caught up yet? Start with Part 1 right here and Part 2 here.

When we last left off, I was flying back to Minneapolis on a sunny Friday morning after I had been away for a work trip.

It was happening. Like really happening. April 27th was going to be my last day at my corporate job (cue the angels singing).

I spent the majority of the flight rehearsing the speech I prepared to give to my manager. There were certain things I needed to get off my chest to give me the closure I so desperately needed.

I wasn’t going to walk away without sharing how I had felt for the past three years. No way.

I had so many butterflies in my stomach, but ironically, I felt so at peace at the same time. I didn’t know that was even possible. It was amazing.

I no longer felt anxious or worried. Instead, I felt supported. That’s the only way I can describe it.

God was with me. That’s the only reassurance I needed.

Once I landed, I drove home to freshen up before I head into the office to meet with my manager.

I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I turned on my favorite music and danced around our apartment as I got ready! I was just SO happy!

I had been patiently waiting for this day for over two years.

Two years can feel like an eternity when you’re going through something you think could quite possibly break you.

As I drove into the office, the sun was shining which felt like God’s way of showing me He was with me.

I said one last prayer before walking in.

I prayed that God would give me the strength to speak eloquently and calmly. I tend to get very emotional when I’m talking about something difficult (totally guilty of crying many times at work before). This was not the time to let my emotions get the best of me.

The last thing I did was take a few deep breaths in the hallway and walked into my manager’s office.

Want to know what I said? Here is it word for word:

“I have been an overachiever my entire life. From elementary school to college. And I have always been extremely confident in everything I do. And I had my heart set on working for this company since I was 12. I worked my butt off to not only land an internship here but turn that into a full-time job. 

In the time I’ve been under your “leadership” you have just stripped my confidence and made me second guess my decisions to such an extent that I’ve developed such bad anxiety coming into work.

Everything I was taught about management, I was led to believe that a manager is there to support you and grow you. In the past three years, I have never once felt supported by you. 

I know the caliber of people that this company hires. I wasn’t hired out of luck. I was hired because of my skills and talents. I’m intelligent, hardworking and dedicated. And I know that my talents are not being used to their full ability under you.

If you continue to manage people the way you’ve managed me, I can guarantee that top talent will continue to leave the company.”

My manager looked at me like she had just had the wind knocked out of her.

And that was the extent of our discussion. That was all I needed.

I walked out of the office feeling like this weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had the pep in my step back! I couldn’t stop smiling.

I WAS DONE!!!!!!!

The minute I got into my car, I said “Thank you, God!” out loud, over and over again.

If I could save the feeling I felt that day and bottle it up forever, I would.

Want to know a secret? I had told Jonah last year that I was going to be a full-time entrepreneur by my 26th birthday. And here we were, just less than one month from my birthday.

Coincidence? Definitely not. Timing if everything.

Aside from my wedding day (this is no exaggeration), today was the happiest day of my life. I felt on top of the world!

The fear I had been holding onto for years was non-existent. I had this unwavering trust and confidence in God’s plan. I could feel it in every part of my being.

There wasn’t even that voice in my head asking “Did you just make a huge mistake?”. For the first time in my life, I felt FEARLESS.

So, if I can leave you with just one thing, it’s this:

If you feel that little sense of longing, that gut instinct that alerts you when something doesn’t feel right, LISTEN.

Take a moment to get quiet, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and ask yourself, what, exactly is holding you back from taking the leap?

Is it something real, or something that you’ve convinced yourself of in your head?

I would bet that there’s a good chance it’s fear that’s holding you back.

If I’ve learned anything in these past few years it’s that fear does not exist until we let it.

You are worth it. Worth creating a life you love, that lights you up.

This is your permission to take the leap. Trust that you are supported. You will never regret taking the chance to live a life that allows you to utilize the gifts that you were blessed with. Don’t let those go to waste.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story. In this full series on the blog, I’m taking you behind the scenes of starting a business doing what you love. Part 4 coming next week. I’ll be sharing everything I learned about starting your own business.

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