Boy am I late getting this Q post up! These days are so busy - when do we get to the part of this adventure when I am sitting in a beach chair with my toes in the sand??
Yesterday I saw a video online of a young guy who was going into businesses and quitting - even though he didn't work there! Did you see it? He'd go into a place and tell the person at the desk or behind the counter that he had to quit because he just couldn't take the way he was being treated. It was pretty funny. I don't think there is anyone who hasn't had a job where at some point they just wanted to scream, "I QUIT!!!" I know I've felt that way, but I've never actually done it. And of course, I've never tried to quit a job I didn't actually have!
I've left jobs, of course, but never in a screaming hissy fit. My very first job was my shortest - two days. It was at a small packaging plant. They packaged sugar and salt and pepper into those little packets you get in restaurants. My job was to stand at the end of a conveyor belt and pick up the packets and put them in a box. The days - all two of them - seemed endless, interminable, tedious, unbelievably BORING. I couldn't stand it. But after that, I stuck with jobs for years - I worked for a bank for 12 years, an insurance company for 10, a non-profit for 7 and at the yoga studio for 5.
So, I'm not much of a quitter. Over the past few weeks, with this huge transition in lifestyle, with all the traveling through crazy and scary weather, all the new things to learn, there were times when it felt overwhelming. A few times I've thought, this is just too much! I've thought that maybe it would be easier to just say, "maybe this was a big mistake!" But I know that everyone feels this way at the start of huge change, and that everyone who's done something like this was once new at it and felt overwhelmed. Already there's so much about it that is fun - I love our RV home, it's cozy and I love the simplicity of it. I love the campgrounds and I love the freedom. Each day we get closer to the fun part. So, no quitting!
Good attitude. It always takes time to find a new normal. The learning curve is steep at the beginning of all new ventures. It won't be long and you'll wonder why you ever thought it was difficult. I look forward to that post.
ReplyDeleteSally, I look forward to that post too!!! Thanks, my friend!4
DeleteYou're not late. Q is on Thursday, so no sweat. :)
ReplyDeleteI had a couple of jobs like that when I was young that I didn't last more than a few days. One was watching the pop tops (like for dish soap) go by with mirrors around them so you could see all sides and underneath to catch the bad ones before they fell into a packing box. The other one I screwed together the aluminum frames for screen doors with a screw gun. The first one I figured would ruin my already weak eyes and the second one with the screeching sound of metal on metal drove my ears nuts!
I'm normally not a quitter, either. But I moved a lot.
Your adventure has just begun! No quitting, right! :):)
See - I don't even know what day it is!!! That job sounds a lot like the one I had. No, no quitting :D
DeleteGood for you! The shortest job I had was 3 hours - I knew it wasn't for me, walked out at lunch time and never came back. I learnt to listen to my gut and knew that following a conventional life was not for me, so I followed an unconventional life, ended up living in a foreign country (and love every minute of it), teach English (so not therefore a 9-5 job), write and love, love love it!!
ReplyDeleteMove through your comfort zone, as you have done - and yes, we all find that if we're brave enough to make those changes in our lives, we ultimately become better people.
Good for you!
Bex
www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com
I love that you did that - walking out at lunch - how empowering! I've also wished that I had walked out on certain job interviews too - knowing it just wasn't going to work out. You're very brave and one of my heroes :D
DeleteI know this is part of my personal journey to change my life in ways that need changing, so I tell myself to go with it and learn what I'm supposed to learn!
I always thought that would be the wonderful thing about winning the lottery - you could bide your time and just quit your job one day. Because I sure have wanted to do that from time to time.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed those road pics from yesterday, too!
It would! I always thought if I won, I'd stay at the job as you say and then just say I Quit on a day when they really deserved it. Ah, the fantasies...
DeleteI hope you don't quit because there's an amazing adventure ahead of you! And I'm looking forward to reading more posts and seeing lots of photos :)
ReplyDeleteMegan @ Storybook Love Affair
I know - that's what I keep telling myself - AND, I know it's true...thanks for the encouragement.
DeleteIt's too soon to quit. I know what you mean though. When things change even though it may be a change for the better, we put up this roadblock with a sign that says "I am not going to like this" written on it. I think the hardest part for me (in your situation) would be the loss of permanence. That might take me a while to get over.
ReplyDeleteIt is - there are a lot of transitions to deal with - as you say, that loss of "permanence" being one - though I feel that this is actually part of a transition for me to find my next "home" and that part of what I need to learn is to be okay without that sense of permanence. And so I shall continue to learn!!
DeleteThat does sound like a tedious job. I wouldn't have lasted either!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're enjoying your RV adventure, Melissa!
Thinking of it still makes my eyes glaze over ...
DeleteThat video sounds awesome. I'd love to do something like that.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago I quit a job I'd have for 14 years and 9 months, because I couldn't bear the thought of being in the same place for 15 years. Luckily, I'd already retrained as a fitness instructor and was doing casual work at the gym I work permanently at now. In retrospect, it would have been much easier to stay put, but I'm happier now.
I love that you did that. It's always "easier" to stay put, even in sucky situations, isn't it? Easier, but not better.
DeleteI worked at Pizza Hut for two weeks when I was something like 18. I was the worst waitress ever - it's a fact. When they told me I had to clean the men's room, I went in with gloved hands, turned around, and handed in my little waitress apron or whatever it was. It is possible they were trying to get me to quit.
ReplyDeleteMy kids and I saw an RV the other day - a big one with a bird cage that you could see through the window. I thought of you. :)