by Diana Chin | Featured Contributor
On the New Moon in Virgo (September 20, 2017), I made the decision to quit my job. I chose the last day to work on the Full Moon in Aries (October 6, 2017). As crazy as it sounds, making important decisions based on the lunar cycles plays a crucial role on my career development. Some of you who may have read my initial article on July 2017 can recall that I expressed my frustration at my day job and ended up staying with the company.
I decided to reinvent myself by pursuing my career again as a web developer & designer. During my time with the company, I started taking front-end development courses at CodeCollege.ca (founded by Brad Hussey) in hopes of brushing up my skill sets. Before I knew it, I was able to nab my first client; creating a subscription-based beauty box via Shopify. The thrill of setting your own hours and being your own boss, while completing a challenging project definitely helped me find my soul purpose. As a result, it gave me the confidence to take the risk in leaving a job where there was no career advancement.
I had every intention on staying with the company for a long term basis. The thought about leaving a job was a scary decision. I remember asking myself these questions: What if this doesn’t work out? Will this be all for nothing? How am I going to pay off all of my student loan and credit card debt? How will I provide for my family? I was reassured by my husband and support groups (both online and offline) that things will work out once I quit my job.
And it did.
The day before I left my job, my client (whom I finished creating her subscription beauty box website) just asked me to create another one; this time with establishing a website catered to hair care products. I remember breaking down and crying as I thanked the Universe. My heart fell full and felt reassured that it was the right decision for me to leave the company.
In the beginning, I’ve experienced career FOMO (fear of missing out). I’ve seen others who quit their job before me and went on to pursue higher paying positions or advance in the career ladder. Though I was happy for them, deep down inside I wished I was in their shoes. I’ve submitted countless of job applications to other companies. In return, the responses from the companies were either that I was overqualified or that there were no openings. Not only it made me feel depressed, but I felt that I wasn’t good enough to continue being in the workforce.
And now? I no longer worry about career FOMO. Instead, I’m focused on creating my own freedom as a freelancer.
I may not be employed by the company, but I am serving a greater cause: helping the spiritual community, small business owners, writers, artists and creatives develop websites and logos. Not to mention, providing my tarot readings to entrepreneurs and writing my paranormal fiction series, The Bruja From Customer Support. It’s a wonderful feeling when I decided to reclaim my time by building my business with my husband at Red Lotus Designz.
Sometimes in order to create a new life, you’ll need to say goodbye to your old one. Change can be uncomfortable, but it’s needed when we go through a purging process. The road may not be easy, but I believe that it’s the most rewarding in terms of gaining experiences and learning how to take accountability of your actions.
Have you quit your job recently to pursue your freelancing career? How did you cope with the transition from being in the workforce to being your own boss? I would love to hear your comments!
Diana Chin, content writer & web designer at DianaRChin.com
Diana combines her various career experiences as a web designer, customer support specialist, beauty & fashion influencer, and spiritual reader into a cohesive and practical voice where she genuinely shares her experiences. Her favorite activities are sipping tea, watching her son grow up and playing video games (preferably Nintendo and PC gaming).
