Saturday, May 31, 2008

First time I was too scared to try

Blythe sewing

Yesterday I was made an offer that was very hard to turn down.

The equivalent of more than a year's pay, and a small pension for the rest of my life. All this in exchange for promising to quit my job, pack up my bike locker and my desk, and not return to the Australian Public Service for 12 months.

Since I found out my job was on the line two weeks ago, I've been kidding myself that I'm a career public servant and that I really want to stay and learn and grow - especially when I've barely been able to stomach turning up to work for the last four months.

It's time to move on, move out, take a long break, discover what I really want to do when I grow up. Set up my crafty business, do some more sewing, design some more crochet, live life, love life, get healthy and be a better person. It's all so very scary, not knowing if I'll ever work in the public service again, if I'll ever work full-time again, if I'll ever get to executive level again.

But I think I owe it to myself and to the one I love the most.

19 comments:

  1. this is weird - this is not the post that showed up in bloglines!

    But how interesting. I wish I could get a year's pay to leave a job - what a great opportunity for you to think about what you really want out life and to pursue it. it's very exciting!

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  2. wow. you must feel so weird! it must be wrenching but i have to believe you'll be better off having a year to work out what you want. for the meantime, keep the chocolate intake up until you've adjusted to not having to get up early every day! ;)

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  3. wow. you're really doing it. I'm deeply jealous and so happy for you!

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  4. Oooh - what a wonderful opportunity (and yes, probably more than a little stomach-churning!)

    Good for you :)

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  5. The bravery, the butterflies, the promise of opportunity - I can feel it all.

    What a break, take it with both hands!

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  6. Scary indeed, but a wonderful opportunity to spread your wings a bit!

    x

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  7. OMG - they offered you one! You'll never know if you never try....Im exceptionally jealous but extremely happy for you! Go for it!

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  8. Yah...you go girl! It's so nice to be able to take some time for yourself and discover what you really want in life....

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  9. Grab that offer with both hands and wring it for dear life. What an opportunity - please keep us posted as to how its going - when will you actually finish up?

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  10. What an awesome opportunity for you! I hope your plans turn out exactly the way you want.

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  11. So basically they're paying you as usual for a year as long as you don't show up? Excellent!

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  12. Love that golden handshake! Congrats. And my bet is that if you do want to go back at the end of 12 months you'll have no problem getting another exec level job - there are too few savvy folk like you about!

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  13. You got it! You're doing it! Yay to you for taking the plunge!

    I second what Twitch Fingers says. But you do deserve a break, and decide what you want to do. Yo have a really big support base, and don't forget that.

    Have some fun in the meanwhile, and a nice, long, relaxing holiday.

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  14. I've wriiten down a few things now and deleted all of them, what can I say, it's a great opportunity to discover more about your dreams.

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  15. Wow, so exciting, what an opportunity! The people I know who've taken the package have all found relaly interesting things to do with their lives. I have no doubt that you can do the same!

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  16. Congratulations ( I think that is right) - Have a great year. Would love to chat with you about plans and dreams etc - I have a few myself.
    Janet McKinney

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  17. woo hoo! i totally understand the fear of all those things but the first thing i felt when i read this was excitement. i just know its the right thing for you to do!

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  18. Wow Mick! That's a pretty crazy offer! I can highly recommend the taking-a-break to-figure-out-what-you-want-to-do thing!! And if someone's going to pay you to do that, then even better!!! :)
    Good luck!

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  19. wow!! Talk about a life changing decision! Good on you for taking the leap!!

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