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Thursday, April 19, 2012

April Blog Challenge: Q is for Quitting

It's been over a year now since I quit my job in Sacramento and moved to the middle of nowhere. I'm glad I did so.

I was so afraid of quitting because I was giving up my benefits. I'm a worry-wart, so I figured something would happen the second those benefits were gone. Luckily nothing did. I also worried because I was giving up my 401k.

But quitting was worth it. I was so stressed and unhappy. I'm not saying life up here in Sticksville is perfect. The stress is different and nowhere near as bad as my last job. Ranching can be a stressful way of life - it's a 24/7 job. Hay prices alone are enough to give a rancher a heart attack. Putting out a monthly publication can be stressful - you need advertisers in order to pay for printing costs, gas prices alone are enough to give you a heat attack right at the pump, and any kind of glitch that could possibly happen. The vet's office can be stressful - dealing with distraught pet owners, people who just walk in and expect to be seen right away, animals peeing on the floor, people constantly telling you they helped pay for the remodel because they spend so much on their pets.

But the stresses here don't make me hate where I live or any of my jobs. They make me appreciate a day off, my family, my friends, my co-workers. I've learned a lot since quitting my job city job, and I don't regret one iota of that decision.

Sometimes, quitting really is the best thing you can do.

19 comments:

  1. I'm glad quitting worked out for you! I rememeber how indecisive you were back then

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    1. I was quite indecisive, wasn't I? Well, I'm like that ALL the time. It's very annoying, even to me! lol

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  2. I admire you for finding the courage to quit. I'm glad it has worked out for you.

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  3. Think of quitting your old job as a second chance, a new lease on life. Sounds like things are going great.

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    1. They are. I'm definitely glad to took the leap.

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  4. Cannot agree more. I quit my high-stress job in the financial industry last September, and have never looked back. You're right--stress doesn't disappear, but it morphs--there's stress, and there's stress. With no fat paycheck every month, stress has become about home budget, about giving up luxury, or worrying about vet bills (I have three dogs, all street rescues). Still, I wouldn't trade my peace and quiet, my self-possession, for that paycheck ever again.

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    1. I wish stress would just disappear, but the stress I have now is so much more manageable that the stress of my old job. And yes, vet bills can get very high very quickly.

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  5. Job hunting in this economy is like trying to pull your own tooth without novicaine. Sometimes things just come together, but it is pretty rare.

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  6. I'm proud of you Jamie! You sound so..... much happier. That place would have eaten both of us up. Sad, but true. I'm glad to see you where you are appreciated and what you do is recognized! Sac's loss is Stickville's gain!

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    1. Well, between H & T I would have been chewed up and spat back out. My God I'm so glad I got away from them!!!

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  7. Oh my goodness, I cant believe it has been a whole year. Stress is a funny thing. There is good stress and bad stress.
    Sounds like you got rid of a whole pile of the bad stuff by moving.

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    1. I can't believe it, either! Some of my old co-workers didn't think I'd last this long! lol

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  8. Has it been a year already?? Wow! And way to go :-)

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  9. I'm so glad that quitting worked out for you! :)

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  10. SO.WELL.SAID.

    There will always be levels of stress in anything you do - especially when you strive to do well in all you do. But even then, there comes a certain point when work makes you far too miserable to be spending your waking hours there, unfulfilled, unhappy, and feeling empty.

    I'm so glad that it is working well for you. That took serious courage and I commend you.

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    1. Thank you. It was a huge scary decision, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

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