As you all know, I share with you the details of my experiences, either personally, the experiences of my clients, friends, family, inner circle, and even the role models and mentors I have. It has taken me some time to get to the point where I could share this episode, simply for the same reasons it may be taking you some time to go after your dreams. I want to talk to you about leaving the corporate world for your dream and how I stepped into my fear, instead of running away from it.
I had a great corporate career. I got promoted 4 times in an 11 year period. That’s an average of fewer than 3 years per role. So why did I give all of that up? What happened that caused me to step out and make a huge career change? Super fair question.
It was me feeling like I have more to give this world. It was the tug inside of me, that whisper in my ear that said, “Katrina, you can do more than this. You are meant for more than this.” And that was a hard voice to listen to . . . a hard tug to pay attention to, so I avoided it for a long time.
I actually started a business with my family 7 years ago, 5 years before I left the corporate world. I wanted to have my own business, the freedom, flexibility, and just do something on my own terms. It was a business to make and sell liquor. We secured our license to produce liquor. But before I could purchase the equipment, I got promoted again, and I had to move 3 states away from my parents, and then eventually I had to move 12 hours from my family, all within a 2 year period.
I struggled. I asked myself questions like: why am I acting so ungrateful for all of the gifts that I have? I have an amazing house, I can buy anything I want, I’m sort of making a difference in the world, I have two amazing kids, etc. I felt like I couldn’t even acknowledge the voice inside of me because I would be saying I deserved more than what I already had.
Then, I started going through a divorce. My choice. We didn’t have a marriage, we coexisted and it worked for the kids and my travel. But I couldn’t let that continue and so it ended. And I remember being home with my kids for the first time during the week I had them, and I didn’t cook. I was never home to cook. And I had to figure out what to fix them, how to fix it because I hadn’t cooked what they liked before. I remember having to cut their fingernails and toenails (they were 7 and 4 at the time) and realizing I had never done it before that point. And I was like, what in the world is wrong with me?
That realization gave me the push to start listening to the voice that said I was meant for more. Because I figured out, in those moments, that a job or a career that is truly fulfilling, that fills you up and confirms you are living your purpose, those jobs, those businesses, those career tracks don’t compete with what matters most to you in your life. They work together, in harmony.
So I started pursuing my life coaching and executive coaching certifications. I decided to leave the corporate world and take a step into a startup because I needed my income to be replaced while I figured out my full passion (I didn’t intend for that to be the reason I left the corporate world, I just wanted to stay in healthcare, used what I already knew, and help another company impact lives). Now, I see I did it to help me also take that mental break, give me financial security, and allow me to feel fulfilled.
If you are in a place like this, if you want to leave the corporate world to pursue the whisper in your ear, let me know. That’s exactly what we help with at Legend Leaders.
Be Legendary!