In late 2006, I turned in my resignation and said Goodbye to a very well-paying and satisfying corporate job. Once a while in 2007, I turned back and wondered if my decision was a correct one. After a year later, with a baby in my arm and a sick dog on my lap, I know that my decision was the right one.
I have always uttered that my God, my husband, my family and
finances were aligned in that order. But not until I had to make the plunge and walk into faith, did it really tested how much those things meant to me (in that order!)As a realtor now, I've worked more than I ever did. (Thanks to Jennifer Allan - her presence in my business in 2007 has really made me believe the things that I could only imagine while dreaming) I constantly think about ways to improve my business, build a stronger client base, provide superior customer service, etc. But the beauty of this business/ job is that I can almost do it at the time I want. And yes, my day starts at 3:30am with a baby feed, then off to work I go (into my home office) to catch up on work for an uninterrupted 2-3 hours before the baby gets up.
Nothing has prepared me better for the lesson of flexibility: having my child and my work/ life based on his schedule. Wow..... That's one of the best lessons I've learnt in my life. You see, I've always been very organized, I lived by checking off to-do list on my board. But having him now makes things a little challenging. I've learnt to tell myself that there are a MUST DO list and a IT'D BE NICE IF I GET IT DONE list. I was never like that because I was an over-achiever.
When my child or now that my dog is terminally ill (as described by my vet), my priorities of the day quickly change. And I do feel that no money in the world could be as satisfying as being able to be the "gear" of the household. I get the household churning and it's my new satisfaction in life. I never thought I'd say that! Because my husband works in the office during the day, it is so wonderful that I do not have to be at a desk from 8am to 5pm - then worrying about my child or my dog. I schedule my business and life around my family and it just makes sense for me to run the household more efficiently. That still does not mean that my clients are 2nd best now, it just depends on the time/ week and what's going on.
Sure, who doesn't want to earn that 6-7 figure income or climb that corporate ladder. I'd only want to do it if my family's well-being does not suffer. I've never thought I'd find something this fulfilling and I'm glad having a real estate business has allowed me to become the gears in the household.
I thrive on serving: be it my family or my clients. All is good.
