The Risk Worth Taking

Before Instagramming and fashion blogging and switching my career ENTIRELY I had a really great job in the my favorite subsection of NYC, the West Village <3. I was working for one of the best full service catering and event production companies who serviced some of the richest people in the tri-state area. From a distance, it looked so glamorous, being in the most expensive high rises, planning events for celebrities and working in some of the most iconic NYC buildings like the NYPL, Andy Warhol’s old apartment or Top of the Rock. On the inside, it was a high-stress job that demanded a lot of time and energy and as a commuter from NJ, I was physically feeling drained. In the beginning, the job was exciting and I loved it! The people I worked with were some of the best people I’ve met, but after a couple of years, all those hours going back and forth, all the late nights, all the stress and what I felt was an unfair salary for all my hard work, I had hit my breaking point and wanted out.

Let me backtrack and let you into some relationship history. Maybe 2 years into my now 7 year relationship, my boyfriend and I briefly discussed moving to Florida. My family had a second home in South Florida, and it had always been close to my heart. We discussed starting this exciting adventure together and leaving everything behind for a new beginning. However, the universe had other plans for us. and those dreams came to a screeching halt when my parents didn’t support it and my boyfriend, well, frankly he got cold feet. It turned out to be the best plan we ever didn’t follow through with.

Now it’s 2018 and the opportunity has presented itself again. My boyfriend and I are older, more mature and in a more stable place in our relationship. We’ve had more experiences together and individually, we feel more whole (man, I guess my parents were right). He receives an offer from his job to be transferred to Miami, and it just so happens that the only other location my job at the time had, was in Miami. The stars were aligned and we were moving to Florida. It’s still crazy to think how perfectly that all worked out.

I honestly thought to myself, if I could just get out of the hard core hustle and bustle of NYC, the work late nights and no sleep work ethic, then I would be happier. I thought Florida would just naturally come with a better work/life balance and the sunshine would improve my mood tenfold. Boy, was I wrong. Well, sort of wrong because waking up to 75 degree sunshine every morning is a game changer.

Knowing what I do now, it’s so obvious that what I was expecting, for my environment to change in order for my inner peace to change, was so naive. It took years to learn this, and I’m still learning it. But it was foolish to think that I would be happier just because I lived in a different state. I ended up leaving the company from NYC and working with two other companies in South Florida, and I was still pretty miserable despite working for really awesome companies. I was ready to leave the nagging customers, work-filled weekends and late nights behind. I didn’t enjoy my job anymore, I would come home crying or in a bad mood and take it out on the only person that always had my back. I knew I needed a change.

I’ve always loved fashion because to be honest, it gave me a sense of maturity that I felt was lacking from my shortness and “baby face.” I’ve said throughout the years how I would love to learn how to make my own clothes after time and time again of finding something I was obsessed with, only to try it on and have it be massive on my body. It was always just something fun to say, a storyline I loved to imagine, I dream I would never actually pursue… until the pandemic hit.

I had quit my 3rd full-time event planning job and started to freelance. It was a step in the right direction for me because it felt like I had gained a little bit of my freedom back, being able to choose which events I wanted to spend my time on. I had so much trouble letting go 100% because I was just so afraid to lose a guaranteed income and take a risk on something else. I was terrified to step away from a career path that I went to college for (Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management) because it’s all I knew. When March 2020 came rolling around, all events stopped, I was let go from my freelance project and I was left with a life-altering decision. What am I going to do now? This was my chance, a chance that may never come again. I was fully out of the event industry by force for the first time in 7 years and the opportunity was staring me in the face. This was my chance to make a change. This was my chance to pursue something for myself, something that I could see myself being fulfilled in, something that could set me up to be my own boss and gain the financial freedom I’ve been yearning for.

It was scary for sure, but with the right support and love around me and many conversations, numerous journal entries about what I wanted in this life which in turn gave me the confidence I needed, I decided to pursue fashion. It was actually my boyfriend’s idea to start a blog. It was something small that I could start, on my own, zero risk and little money out of my own pocket. I had so many ideas I didn’t know where to start (thank you spark school and style collective!) and it was so exciting! I know the pandemic brought tragedy to so many people for so many reasons, but I was so fortunate in this situation where I had a 3 month span of no job, no leaving the house, no distractions and no excuses. Just time to focus on this new endeavor.

Fast forward 8 months later and here we are in November of 2020! I’ve shifted my goals and my mindset to be that of making money and working hard for MYSELF! I’ve been posting and blogging on Instagram consistently since it’s inception and met so many incredible ladies and worked with some great brands. I’ve started working part-time for a bikini company where they make everything in-house which is AMAZING because I’m getting so much hands-on experience. Lastly, I started taking sewing classes which will eventually lead into full on garment construction. I’m taking things slow and I’m staying organized which keeps me on track.

Two things: One, the above are very small accomplishments. Literal baby steps. It might seem like nothing to some people especially because I’m not making any money from it… yet. I truly haven’t done that much in that grand scheme of things and I’m totally aware there’s a LONG road ahead. I also want to acknowledge that I’m still fearful. It’s hard to confront those fears, but those realizations tell me what direction I need to go in. To balance those fears I just imagine myself living my own version of success. It’s a must or I would just be reminded that I’m winging this whole thing and I don’t really know anything yet! A reminder I love is this…

Things don’t get easier, you just get stronger.

Two, I know my situation is not going to be the same as yours. Maybe you have kids, a mortgage or have debt. Maybe you don’t have the luxury of taking a 3 month break from working or maybe you think you’re too old. Your path doesn’t have to be the same as mine. Our lives are different and our priorities are different. I’m grateful to have time on my side, but it’s truly never too late. Take the steps necessary to do the things in this life that make YOU happy.

I once read a book called Staring at the Sun by Dr. Irvin D. Yalom about overcoming the fear of death and one thing I remember in the book was when people in Hospice were being interviewed and were asked about their regrets in life. What saddened me the most were so many people admitting how they either regretted working too much and not spending enough time with their families, staying in a job that made them unhappy for too long or not choosing a path that would have led them to a more fulfilled life. That is so powerful, so true and so heartbreaking. Fortunately if you’re reading this, you’re still alive which means you still have TIME! It’s never too late, and you’re never too old. Enjoy this one life you have to live and go chase your dreams! Be smart, have purpose and do whatever you have to do to figure it out. IT IS POSSIBLE!!!!!

With Love,

G

P.S. The Spark School and Style Collective really got my Instagram and Blogging off the ground when I was ready to use them as business tools but didn’t know where to start. If you want to look into them and decide to sign up, here are my referral links you can use!

The Spark Society Affiliate Links to Join:

https://www.thespark.school/a/29067/vP24eJmA

https://www.thespark.school/a/29058/vP24eJmA

https://www.thespark.school/a/29056/vP24eJmA

Style Collective Affiliate Link to Join:

https://billing.stylecollective.us/affcompat.php?affiliateID=4743&product=24