The first step towards work independence was getting fired from my desk job…

July 6th, 2015. I figured if I got fired, I wouldn’t have to put in a 2 weeks notice, and if the plan for my new career bombed, the unemployment checks could pay my rent!

After 6 years with this crew placement company, I had grown to know my boss pretty well, so pushing his buttons would be easy. My desk had been cleared out, the PC was wiped clean of all my personal items and a brand new, professional resume was floating around town.  During the previous weeks I had been prepping the new girl, (without her knowledge) for my exit. There were so many things that just got done, by me, so wanted to make sure the plants were watered, the office dogs water bowel was washed and filled every day, the fridge was stocked every Monday morning, stuff like that.

The last 2 years there life had become pretty much a ground hog day. The job I had once adored didn’t love me back and was becoming more of an anchor.  But I was too scared to make a change, too old, broke, as always and only good, really good at what I was doing. Except hospitality, I’m also fantastic at taking care of people but getting back on the jets would be hard with the dogs and I was not going to waitress and bartend ever again, I knew that.

Then out of the blue my phone rings and it’s my ex husband asking if he can take our 2 dogs to Colorado to live. After sharing custody for 4 years, 8 years total of having them, the decision was made to let my precious fur babies go. Weeks later my eldest dog had to be put down, 2 of the hardest decisions of my life. The cozy one bedroom home which went from full of doggies to empty, almost over night, was now very lonely.

My only happiness was martial arts, which I religiously attended at least 4 times a week but there was a dark hole in me and now that I was free of any responsibilities, it was time to make a move!!! It was time to be whole again.

Around the same time, an old friend recommended me to his neighbor who needed a Stewardess 4th of July weekend on his 100′ yacht. How hard could it be?  I’d been in hospitality my whole life. Started super young busing tables and washing dishes at the Mexican place mom worked.  It seemed I’d always had at least 2 jobs, not always so glamorous and 1 typically seemed to be in a restaurant. How different could yachting be??

Well they hired me and I made about $1000 in 2 days with pay and tips. WTF?? After taxes, deductions, 401K and health insurance my 2 week paycheck, after 6 years with my desk job was clearing maybe $1500. I knew, that second, this was my new career!! Didn’t know how, who, nothing, I just knew and when I walked into work that Monday morning, my plan was set.

The boss and I had been at odds for a while, neither one of us seemed happy to be working together. But I did a great job, they needed me as much as I needed them. I had been wanting a meeting with him for a while but it was always pushed back. This time I sent him an email that I knew would get his attention and within minutes we were in the conference room. As we sat there across the big table from each other, I’d never felt more bold, for one of the first times in my life, I wasn’t intimated.

See, people like me, ‘pleasers’ and ‘givers’, ones who always put others before themselves, are often weak when it comes to authority. Not this time though, I’d hit my limit, I was done with being unappreciated and was ready to move on. I said what I wanted to say, every thought, every word and I did it with authority and just like clockwork, he fired me!

I was exhilarated, sat up, said a few choice exit words like a boss, walked out, went over to my desk, grabbed my purse, took one last look at the security camera with a smirk and left. Strutted like a cat all the way to my car, got inside, closed the door, drove down the street, pulled over and had a panic attack.

Every ounce of pride and attitude quickly vanished and all I could see was a giant, florescent sign flashing loudly in my head that said……..¨what have you done¨?