A Risky Past
1999…
I had moved back to the Bay Area a few months earlier. I had graduated college, worked for a couple years, and wanted to be back up in Northern California. I had 800 dollars to my name, a friend who needed a roommate, and the name of one temp. agency. Seemed like a good plan to me.
It was a good plan, and because I took the risk… I ended up in a job I loved. I ended up becoming a product manager for software tools used in Interactive Television. I was in my early/mid 20’s and was interested in learning, doing and getting my hands on anything that would challenge me and get me excited to go to work in the morning. I seriously loved my job. I got to travel, internationally, I got to work with interesting clients, and work with a lot of smart people from engineering to finance.
It was a dream, to me. I had an amazing boss, who is still a mentor of mine, and great colleagues. By far, one of the best teams I’ve worked on.
Late 2000…
It had been almost two years, things changed, and I decided to quit my job. I paid all of my bills two months out, finished up at my job and bought a round trip plane ticket to London with absolutely no plan. I knew some people all over Europe from my business trips, that was all. No international cell phone (I had a plastic phone card that I could use anywhere in the UK and Europe), a Yahoo! mail account, and a backpack with a camera, film (yeah, not digital!) clothes, books and writing materials. I was 26, single, with no plan for when I returned home. It was an amazing time.
Yep… I did that…
Yes, I moved to San Francisco with $800 (that barely covered rent with a roommate!) and left a job to travel solo for a couple months, with no real plan for when I returned. On each occasion I had supporters and questioners. Thankfully I did what I wanted to and now have these experiences to lean on, because they definitely prepared me for the feeling I have right now. That feeling that is a mix of, “Anything is possible” with a bit of, “What the $%^& have I done!?” Depending on the day, the mix is more of one than the other.
But, no matter what…
Based on my various experiences, I will never look back and regret that I did this, took a chance, tried something new. Because if there is one thing I know, it’s that when I take a risk, it puts me on a new path. It opens my eyes to something new and challenges me in ways I never imagined.
Every time I wonder if I can do this, I look back at my 20 something self, with $800 and no real plan and think, she made it work… and so can I!
You are such an inspiration!You”ve made great stuff happen, and you will make more great stuff happen. I am super proud of you.
Thanks for such kind words, Desiree! I think this is going to be the year we all look back on and say… that’s when it all changed!