Safety net or a tangled web in disguise?

As I approached the new year of 2013…full of burnout, exhaustion and unhappiness… I promised myself that this would be a year of change. Change from everything that I considered normal and routine.

I could feel a shift in my work environment as I was approaching my 4th year there. You know how it is when you take a job, you know deep down its only temporary and you should leave as soon as you stop growing financially and mentally. I had already capped out financially and was making the same salary, 4 years in a row.

Funny how we settle for less…

The cost of living was still increasing every year and I still had a daughter to raise on my own…and kept collecting a paycheck well below my worth.
But I just kept going to work…day in and day out… same old rut… same old car…same old dead end relationship…same old house.
It wasn’t until a dear Australian friend of mine pointed out that I should look for a new job. She even offered to spruce up my resume which I accepted kindly.
I tried to convince her that I was “happy”… she graciously pointed out, No Karie, you’re “comfortable”…”content”.

That’s not exactly the orgasmic-spicy-heart stopping-happiness that I wanted out of life!

So what do I do? I knew in my heart I wasn’t going to just apply for another JOB (just over broke). That sounded and FELT like going backwards in life. I had created businesses before, so what do I want to do with my life?

Who do I want to BE???

I attended a wonderful 3 day leadership break through boot camp in January 2013. At first I was dreading it… then embraced it fully! I found the confidence I had lost along the way after a divorce, bankruptcy, relationship heartbreak and drama, and working for the most challenging CEO I have ever worked for in my life.

I came out of that 3 day event a new person!

I also knew in my heart it was time to GROW and EVOLVE into the person I was meant to be. Being safe and comfortable wasn’t serving my purpose in life. I was meant for SO MUCH MORE than this!

So by February 2013 I jumped in – Head first into creating my side business which was mostly made up of referrals and community based coaching, to international coaching online. I knew I wanted a business that I could do from anywhere in the world. I also wanted the flexibility to be with my family whenever I needed to be which live 2000+ miles away. I did some deep soul searching and knew I needed to be in leadership, coaching and self-development training. My heart sings when I’m helping my clients and the more visible I can be, the more people I can help!

So I would work 60+ hours  a week between developing my business along with being a full time single mom. I would stare at the computer screen with blurry eyes as I built my website from scratch telling myself that it would all be worth it someday!
Every day that I would go to work, I grew more and more bitter. I wanted to jump ship already but knew I couldn’t do it until my business replaced my salary. I loved working on my business… it didn’t feel like work, I enjoyed every second of it, blurry eyed or not.
Then I noticed that I was playing small… afraid of putting out TOO MUCH marketing as my boss may notice and wonder what I was doing. I also noticed that my energy was actually going inward about my business in fear that they would fire me or blame me for working during business hours. Little did they know that I was burning the midnight oil and that my social and dating life had taken a backseat as I worked through the weekend. I really missed my friends…and my snowboarding weekends, and trips to the beach.

But I knew someday… I would ALL BE WORTH IT!
The longer I stayed in what I thought was my safety net, my JOB..the more miserable I became. I felt suffocated, I felt chained… I felt like I was being held back from being the bright shiny super star that I was created to be!
The universe was testing me and pushing me out. Not only did I get a demotion, but they lowered my commission right after I hired my first business coach. Then a year later, they gave me the best birthday present ever, a PAY CUT!  The company wasn’t generating the profits it needed to therefore I felt punished… when in reality, this was a reward, a sign to MOVE ON!

Was the universe telling me that I’ve overstayed my welcome or what?!!

It was as if God was screaming at me… “TIME TO MOVE ON KARIE… YOU ARE GOING BACKWARDS IN YOUR CAREER AND LIFE!” I have BETTER FOR YOU… just Trust… learn to Trust….

But I kept hanging on to what I thought was a “safety net”… out of FEAR.

So I dug deep and created a business plan for that year that had an exit strategy included in it. I kept at it and I never let my foot off the gas on my marketing, planning, or sales until I could give notice and leave for good.

I didn’t have any savings, I didn’t have a plan B or support from anyone but Ms. Karie…and I gave notice and tested my wings.
And guess what happened?
I FLEW!!! And haven’t stopped flying since!

Opportunities and sales sky rocketed! I could finally focus on JUST ONE THING! MY BUSINESS!
I trusted myself and disentangled myself from that safety net that had turned into a tangled web, holding me back from my dream and destiny.
I wake up every day with a smile on my face knowing that I’ve created the lifestyle that I’ve always wanted. I get to sleep in instead of rushing to the office with my hair still wet and full of stress as I barely kiss my daughter goodbye. I get to take my time, have deep talks with her in the morning as I take her to school. I now get to help my clients soar to new heights in their businesses and it feels like such an honor to be THEIR coach as it brings me so much joy!
I get to stay in my yoga pants after my morning workout and knock out a bunch of work with the sun on my face. I get to eat healthier options from my own kitchen instead of trying to stay awake under fluorescent lighting in gray cubicles with the stale office coffee.
I get to be authentically ME! Business guru, louder than life personality, leader, encourager, educator and inspirer without stepping on anyone’s toes or not playing the game by “the rules”, typical corporate politics. I get to be Karie and I get to SHINE REALLY BRIGHT and help many other women do exactly the same.

It’s so freeing being ME…that I HIGHLY encourage YOU TO BE YOU!

My coaching programs specialize in creating women to be Entrepreneurs by Design so that you can stop trying to fit a SQUARE PEG into a ROUND HOLE.

Just be the best YOU … YOU CAN BE! That’s your job… it’s that simple!

So ask yourself… is your safety net really a tangled web in disguise like mine was? Keeping you back from your true purpose and destiny in this lifetime?
I hope you find a way to free yourself soon, because it’s pretty awesome on the other side…and did I mention I make 3 times what my salary was?!

Big hugs and well wishes,

Karie Millspaugh
Business and Lifestyle Coach

P.S. IF you would like to learn how you too can create a lifestyle business that keeps you home with your kids or better yet, traveling the world like you should be… get on my calendar for a deeper one to one session for FREE!