Changing yet again (guest post).

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Please to welcome Debbie and another installment of my guest post series focusing on the word CHANGE.

Im a longtime fan of her blog and her spirit.  And, should this non-runner ever being to run, she’s definitely the coach Id hire.

 

Well, I just did it. I pulled the plug and signed up for an online real estate course.

There.

Writing it down seems to both make it more real and more, well, crazy. After all, I love what I do. Fitness is my life’s work, and spreading the word of the joys and benefits of an active lifestyle, especially to the senior population that I usually work with, is my avocation.

It wasn’t an easy decision. It’s true that I’ve not been happy with my job lately (meaning my fitness director job, not fitness itself). The pressure of working with a board of directors, a fitness committee, not to mention my real employer, have been building over the last few years. When, no matter what you do you can’t ever seem to win, it is time for a change.

This won’t be the first time I have made a career change.

Almost 15 years ago, I was working in city government, I was burned out, tired of the restrictions of working for the city. As the Activities Supervisor at the senior center, scheduling and teaching exercise classes was part of my job. I felt the pull of fitness, the opportunity to take my hobby into my career.

Now, as then, I am scared. Really scared. What if I’m no good at it? How will I support myself while I make this change? What if I hate it?

So many questions. And no solid answers. Just a couple signs. Literal in some cases:

MizFit

 

This popped up on my Facebook feed yesterday. I can’t find the attribution, but it was posted by Tom Ziglar.

My husband is starting a real estate career. After losing sleep again because of my dread of an upcoming committee meeting, it just popped out of my mouth. Why don’t I get my real estate license too?

Now, I am ready for a change, not crazy. I will continue working in fitness, blogging about fitness, loving fitness, while I study and work toward getting my license. Even after that, I will keep a foot in the fitness world. My husband and I even plan to make fitness part of our real estate marketing (he loves the idea of 7:00 am open houses..I’m not so sure).

I have no great revelations about how change affects our lives. I do know that, based on my past experience, while change was scary, it was worth it. I have no regrets and as I approach this new career change, I will focus on the excitement and challenge instead of the fear.

 

Debbie is a 50-something runner, coach, trainer, wife, and dog-mom, who’s just trying to stay ahead of the clock by staying active and following a plant-based diet. You can read about it all at Live from La Quinta.

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Comments

  4. I like how Debbie says she’s not crazy LOL
    I understand wanting to change, but don’t believe in the leaping with out a net.
    Maybe I’m just old? 🙂

    • Maybe a little crazy 🙂

      Oh, I’ll have a net. I still have my job, unhappy or not. I’ll need to feel like I have something secure to step onto before I step off that.

  5. It is always a sign it’s time for a change when I feel just pervasively unhappy.
    Good on you for making the shift!

  8. Debbie, I have no doubt that you will rock this new career, just like you rock what you’re currently doing! I love that you’re not afraid to try something new and honestly think that change is even more important to us as we get older. Good luck! xo

  10. Good luck with everything! My mother actually started a small real estate career when she grew bored of her previous one. She really enjoyed the class but unfortunately the (small) town she lives in didn’t provide enough opportunities for her to earn money.

  12. I went back to school full time at 30 to become a dietitian after a successful marketing career. Lord knows I never thought is be back at school willingly taking Organic Chemistry. Between school and an internship, I was in transition for 3 years. However, it was so entirely worth it! I’m where I’m meant to be. Time is going to pass anyway, we all might as well enjoy how we spend it, right? Good luck to you!

  13. WOW, this caught me off guard! 🙂 I am curious what online school you enrolled to cause I know about a couple of them – not going to say why or what I know but just curious.. 🙂

    I am sure you will excel like you do at everything else! Such a different field!

    I guess for me, I have tried things in the past that lead me to where I am now which is a tough place.. trying again is very hard for me & the financial part is not available so.. I always seem to try again though but it is hard due to past mistakes…

    • First Tuesday. It was recommended by a realtor friend. I’m still on chapter 7 of the first course. It may be a while before any major change happens.

  17. Good for you for pushing yourself out there and pursuing your dream!!! I was in a similar situation recently, it is scary to “step out on the ledge” but at the same time it is worth it. We only live once – let’s make it the time of our lives! Good luck – you got this!! 🙂

  18. Going through a lot of changes myself (most of them forced, unfortunately). Either way, we can look on the horizon and be afraid or enjoy the butterflies of anticipation that a new life can bring. Right?

    Good luck with everything! And now I shall hop over to your site to see what all this fitness stuff is about…

  19. I love change and challenges. I recently retired from working with a school district for over 30 years and went to another one where I now work with preschoolers with disabilities! Could NOT be happier! I love doing things such as grand canyon rim to rim to rims, triathlons and open water swims just for the challenge and to mix up my running. Embrace it. I am 60 and realize I have to pack it in, accept the good and bad and roll with it as time is short!
    I loved coaching also…coached cross country at the elementary level for seven years and we brought home the city wide trophy one year. I hear some of these “kids” (now much older) are still running…best reward ever!

  20. Way to go… Debbie! Face the excitement and challenge head on… not the fear or the uncertainty of change in your career. Who was it who said ?.. nothing ventured, nothing gained.?

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