Leap and the net will appear...

I can't believe I'm actually blogging, this is pretty huge for me so bear with me, here's my very first post.

It may have been a surprise for my friends, colleagues and family when I decided to abruptly put in my two weeks notice last month. The truth is, it was a shock for everyone including me, I didn't have a fully developed "next steps plan" at the time of my decision but I knew I had to make the jump in order to get my life on track. For years, I've known that my career as a public relations/communications/event planning professional was not satisfying or fulfilling. I was blessed with amazing career opportunities right after college so I just went with the flow. However, deep inside I knew there was something missing.

In late 2010 I had started applying to grad school for interior design but I didn't complete my application. Fast forward a year later, after making the decision to quit my job, the next day I decided that grad school would be that next step and that I would do everything within my power to finish my application and begin school in January of 2012 (again, this all happened December 2011). I don't know what I was thinking at the time, given that I only had a few weeks before the beginning of the year, and once I submitted my application, whether I was accepted or not was out of my hands. Still, I quit my job and my last day of work was December 15th.

The thing is, one can become very complacent and satisfied as long basics are covered - a nice title, pretty good salary, a good company, and easy commute. This was my case for the past 6 years, however, in the back of my mind I kept thinking about what I would like to do long-term and I just didn't see myself in the shoes of any of my superiors at work, at all. And complacency is completely out of character for me, so I had to snap out of it.

I had a fantasy about what it would be like to have a career where I felt absolutely crazy passionate about what I did, that even when working long hours I could still feel like time just flew by, and I couldn't wait to get back to work.  After many conversations with George about this, I thought about the things that I'm very passionate about, and could these things potentially translate into work? I never really considered it and if I did, I was convinced it was too far fetched. Here's why, the things that I absolutely love are fashion, theater, photography, music, art and decorating. 

I thought that combining all of these interests into some kind of job would be ideal, that's when I realized that there's something out there (which I sort of already do) that has all of these elements combined. I could become a professional interior designer.

Why it took me so long to realize this and actually go for it, its beyond me. The important thing is that I'm absolutely sure about it now and know for a fact that once I combine my love for interior design with the proper training and education, I can be really good at it and it will provide what I believe is the most important aspect in a career - professional + creative fulfillment.

So here's where my journey begins,  I found out that I was accepted to the program with a scholarship literally 5 days before classes started. My acceptance letter from the Corcoran arrived 3 days before my 29th birthday and it was the best beginning to a new year of life that once could wish for. The next day, my husband had arranged a birthday dinner with some of our close friends and my good friend Carrie gave me the most appropriate birthday card imaginable, it read "leap and the net will appear". I couldn't believe my eyes, and deep down I felt this incredible sensation that I had absolutely made the right choice and that whatever is out there was sending me a message -  Carrie had no idea of the recent developments in my work/personal life, she would learn about it that night.

January 19th (3-days after my 29th birthday) was my first day of class, I officially began my Masters in Interior Design at the fabulous Corcoran College of Art + Design. My journey to get here was pretty incredible, and a total leap of faith. I jumped and the net appeared :)

I end this post with a quote that I had hanging outside of my office while I worked at Ketchum - it's funny how things are sometimes right in front of you and you don't see them, I now feel part of the few lucky ones that where able to eventually see the signs and take the leap...

Outside of the Corcoran Downtown Campus

"It's never too late to become what you might have been" - George Eliot.