Wow is it surreal to be writing this blog post. To be honest, I’ve been procrastinating on this one a little bit. Gathering your thoughts about big life changes and writing them down can be overwhelming. It also comes with a sense of pressure, for some reason. I’m realizing that you have to be in touch with your emotions and willing to face the change head on when you sit down to write about stuff like this.
So let’s just cut to the chase… I quit my job! And I’ve decided to pursue an entirely new career. I want to share my thought process, how I came to this decision, and my game-plan for this next chapter. If any of you happen to be in a similar position, I hope you find this post encouraging!
Why I Quit…
The role I left was my first “real job” out of college – Marketing Coordinator for a small restaurant group here in Seattle. I’d been there for almost 2.5 years(!!!) and had been thinking about moving on for a while.
I definitely learned a ton in my role and was challenged in many ways. I helped design a new website, promote the opening of a new restaurant, introduce the company to influencer marketing, and so much more. It’s a small family-owned business that consists of three restaurants and a music venue so there is always a lot going on. I do have to say that I am thankful for my time there because I was given the freedom to create and execute a vision for my role. My schedule was fairly flexible too which allowed me to travel and spend time on my blog.
All of that said, small family company = not much room for growth. This was one of the reasons why I didn’t want to stay much longer. I was becoming stagnant and there weren’t many options for promotion.
Another huge factor that led me to leave was that my day to day tasks weren’t really interesting me anymore. Spending my time promoting another person’s business/dream was beginning to feel meaningless to me. I wasn’t passionate about it which left me feeling empty a lot of the time.
I was starting to dread coming to work. One of my life goals is to enjoy whatever it is that I do to make a living, and I knew that wasn’t gonna happen if I stayed where I was.
Towards the end of 2019 these things were really weighing on me and I had an overwhelming sense that it was time to move on. After about six months of wanting to leave I finally gained the courage to do it. That was when I told my mom, aunt, and sister when we were all out to lunch one day in December that I wanted to quit by the end of January 2020. I asked them to hold me accountable and they did. However, I knew I had to have another job lined up before I left (because duh – I need $ for rent and gas and student loans and bills and all that fun stuff that comes with being an adult).
What’s Next?
Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve chosen to enter an entirely new field. And that field is… real estate! I’m currently studying for my real estate license and plan to have it by the end of March. I want to be a residential real estate broker (agents are called brokers in Washington) here in Seattle. My goal is to work for a well-established brokerage with a good reputation. One that blends well with my personality and helps me grow.
In the meantime, as I’m getting my license and figuring out where I’ll end up, I’m working at Nordstrom Downtown Seattle (the flagship store!). I worked at Nordstrom throughout college and enjoyed it so I thought this would be the perfect in-between step. It’s one of those jobs that you can sort of forget about when you leave at the end of the day, which will be good for me as I’m first getting into real estate. I am a salesperson in the Indi/Via C department (think brands like Vince, Rag & Bone, Eileen Fisher, Staud, Ulla Johnson, etc.) but am able to help my customers shop all departments. If you’re here in the Seattle area – come shop with me! Send me an Instagram DM or text if you plan to come in and I’d love to help you.
Why Real Estate?
First of all, real estate is one of those industries where you get out what you put in. (For the most part that is… of course there are uncontrollable factors that come into play). I can’t wait to be in a role where I’m pushed in ways that I haven’t been before. I’m also just excited to challenge my mind because it’s been a while since I’ve gained brand new knowledge and skills.
Also, as I think about my future, I know that I want to have a family. I know that I want to be as present as possible for my kids as they grow up. Once you’re somewhat established in real estate, you typically have the flexibility to create a schedule that can work around your life. Some people call it a ‘lifestyle profession‘ – one that allows for great work/life balance. Real estate has this quality and can also pay off financially when you put in the work. All of this is really appealing to me.
Finally, when it comes down to it, real estate (at least residential) is a people business. Helping people buy or sell their home is such a personal thing. It’s about networking and staying true to yourself to show people that they can trust you. I really believe that I have the ability to genuinely connect with people no matter how long I’ve known them. It’s hard for me to say this because I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I’ve had people tell me this my whole life. It’s time I believe it AND utilize it in my career.
I do feel the need to say that by no means do I think this career path will be easy; I know it’s going to take A LOT of hard work and persistence to be successful. That said, I’m ready and excited for what the real estate world has in store for me.
Reading the Signs
I want to stress that whenever we are thinking about making a big change in our life, we have to be mindful of the signs that show up around us. It’s only then that we’ll feel at peace with making big decisions. We all know the cliche phrase ‘everything happens for a reason‘… it’s cliche because it’s true. The things we go through and the obstacles we face lead us to where we’re meant to be.
A quick example of this: in October I applied for a new job and after 5 interviews I wasn’t chosen for the role. I was so hopeful throughout the process because I felt like it was a great fit. But looking back now, I know it wasn’t right. As hard as it was, I had to hear that no in order to continue searching for a better next step.
I experienced a few more signs like that over the next few months and all of them led to this gut feeling that I needed to make a big leap.
How it all Feels
My emotions are all over the place right now, but more than anything I am excited. I’m full of motivation, anticipation, and hope. Of course it also feels stressful because change is scary (especially for someone like me who loves routine). But bottom line: it feels GOOD. Good to leave a job that I was no longer happy in. Good to know what I truly want (career-wise) for the first time. And good to be going after it full-force.
I am trusting God with this next chapter of my life and I know that it holds great things (along with plenty of challenges too, I’m sure). He has me, he has you, and we are a lot better off if we just stop and listen to what he has in store for us.
I truly hope that something in this post resonated with you. I hope it inspired you to take a good look at where you are and decide if it’s where you’re meant to be. Life is short… make the most of it.
As always, thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here soon!
XO Sorelle
Shop my look: TOP | JACKET (similar, mine is thrifted) | JEANS (run big!) | BOOTIES | WATCH
Oh Sorelle I loved this post! It takes serious guts to leave something you’ve been comfortable in but I commend you for recognizing you were ready for something new to live your most fulfilling life ❤️ You’re going to rock the real estate industry — especially with your marketing skills. Can’t wait to watch you evolve and in the meantime I’ll see you downtown 🙂 xo
Cortney you are just the best! Thank you so much for your encouragement – it means a lot to me. And YES please come shop with me… we’d have so much fun! xx