- Kate Lentz
{I Quit.}
I quit my job.
I quit my job.
I QUIT my JOB?
...I quit my job.
Almost two weeks ago, I was feeling pretty good. I recently had a long chat with myself about focusing on the positive things in my life. I started working out in the mornings again, I was meal planning like a boss, I focused on all that I was grateful for. Was work still depressing, lonely, and stressful? YES. But I took the things I could control, like my attitude, and made the decision to be happy. Sure, there would be days that tested my new outlook on things. I accepted that bad days always lurked in the shadows. But at that moment, I was perfectly okay.
And then... on that fateful Wednesday afternoon, everything changed.
I’m not going to describe everything that happened. I just want to say three things:
I do not regret working in this office, despite how difficult it had been for the past year
I am okay
For the first time in my life, I stood up for myself.
So with that, I quit. And not, “I thank you for the opportunity, but my last day will be in two weeks” kind of quit. I mean the “my desk is cleared out and I will not be back” kind of quit. Something I have never done, and quite frankly, something I never wish to do again. But like I said, I’m okay. And I know it was the right decision for right now.
What’s the plan, then? If you’ve read my other blogs or watch my videos, you know that I have slowly been working towards a shop opening on Etsy at the end of August. Well, that plan is still in place...sort of. Except now, I will do a small “soft opening” of the shop next week with original art only. That way I can see how to list products, sort out the shipping, and practice interaction with customers if I happen to get any. When that foundation is all set, I plan on sending out my digital designs to a printer and getting about 100 prints, some business cards, and hopefully stickers to put in the shop in August. I also plan on improving my photography skills, filming skills, and editing skills so I can produce more videos.
There are several other projects that have been in the works for years. So...why not finish them? Plus we’re going to add in some new things as well, like a podcast. If I’m going to be in this, I have to be ALL in. It’s scary. It’s...a lot of unknowns. But it’s also exciting. And it’s a dream of mine.
It goes without saying that I am extremely lucky that I am able to take a little time off right now. I have the support of my husband, the opportunity to use a bit of my savings, and friends/family that keep telling me to go for it. If it doesn’t work out, it’s just an honor to have tried. I was making art before and I will continue long after. If it’s something that could become a way to support myself and my family, I will thank my lucky stars. But for now, I’m going to take it one day at a time. I am able to breathe, do what I love all day long and even into the night. I know I will never have this opportunity again, so I hope that I can get as far as I can before I jump back into the working world. I have always struggled with calling myself an artist, even though deep down, I knew that I was. Now I can say with absolute certainty, I AM an artist. A terrified, nervous, excited, passionate, curious, artist. Time to take the jump. I’m ready for it.
Instagram: @ghost.rose.art
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFsw2SurfXwk_ZkVDWQGpXw