I have sat down many times trying to write this blog, but I truly struggled with finding the words. 

I love Facebook memories.  I see good, and sometimes bittersweet memories.  The other day I saw the memory from the launch of Project Sunrise.  This was one of the largest projects I was on in my career.  I worked on a great team with many folks.  To see it to fruition after many exhausting days and nights was worth it.  I remember working more than 70 hours/week for weeks on end just to make sure tasks were done and deliverables were met.  My hunka hunka thought the laptop was growing off my hip because it was always attached to me.

That project, despite the long hours, was my most prized career moment…yet.  I had the amazing opportunity to travel the world to train end users.  I learned a lot and developed myself during the project.  I owe that to my manager at the time who allowed me to facilitate all of this on my own.

We often find ourselves living in the comfort zone.  It’s easy there.  Sometimes you have to know when to kick down the doors.  I love to quote movies or song lyrics.  This moment is brought to you today from the movie Regarding Henry.  This was a quiet film not too many people have heard of, much less seen.  Harrison Ford plays a bastard lawyer, with no regards to anyone’s feelings.  After a crippling gunshot he finds out the kind of person he was and the kind of person he wants to be.   After the injury, his secretary was filling his coffee cup.  He was watching her not knowing what word to  say to make her stop pouring.  She looks at him and says, “Mr. Turner, when you’ve had enough, you just say ‘when’.” 

As we all know, all good things must come to an end.  I reached a fork in the road in my career.  And so…I said, “When.”  While my decision was difficult, I knew it was the right thing to do.  

One of the toughest moments was packing my boxes and seeing the different projects I completed.  I even found my initial welcome letter from the president of the company at that time.   Bittersweet.

Over the years, time has changed a lot.  Many people lost their jobs.  The company was sold.  The decision to leave was a tough one, but at the same time I can only think of what lies ahead.

We all know a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.  The butterfly never looks back at being a caterpillar, but only flies upward in their new journey.  I feel like my time in this role was being that caterpillar slowly inching its way to a bigger and brighter future.  

As I pack my final bag today and walk out the doors for the last time,  I only look back to smile at the trail I left behind, knowing I am soaring to new heights.  My heart is heavy walking away from what has been my comfort zone for nearly 12 years, but today I said, “When.”  

Cheers to my new career starting Monday…