You are going to get two posts in two days. I don’t think that has happened in quite some time!

This week is pretty awesome. I wish I could have seen this over a year ago when this crazy journey started, but I know there are reasons behind everything.

Friday was my last day at my previous employer. Everyone was so sweet to me and they even sent me out with a party and a sweet card. That is a really wonderful gesture that I wasn’t expecting at all. I think the nerves finally kicked in as I was walking out of the office for the last time Friday. It was a great 4 months, I knew I was moving on to the right path for me, but being the “new” one again is always a little nerve racking.

Monday morning I started it off with 6 easy miles. My legs were a bit slow to get back into a new week, but they were happy because I didn’t have to get out of bed until 6:00 am! That is a big difference from 4:00 am!

There is just something about running while they sun is rising that is so peaceful and motivating. The day is just beginning and there is so much ahead, but yet you can still just relax and enjoy the run. I wish I could run at that time every morning, but that was a one shot wonder.

My first day at my new job was GREAT. It is a big learning curve, but I am really excited about it! There is something about getting to learn and master a knew job that is just exciting! It made me realize sometimes that it really is true what they say: sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together.

If you had told me that a year ago I probably would have rolled my eyes because I was tired of hearing it. Sure, I knew it could happen but it felt so far away from me it was hard for me to really grasp. Now I am here to tell you that it is true. If you are going through unemployment, unhappy in your job, or looking for something new I urge you to hang in there! Sure, you may have to work some other jobs in the process but keep going after what you want to do!

It won’t be easy, it won’t be overnight, but persistence and motivation can go a LONG way!

This new job got me thinking about some of the jobs that I have started over time and what they have taught me:

Movie Theater

The moment I turned 16 I began working at a local movie theater. I worked just about every job within the theater during my 2 years there. It wasn’t the toughest job, but as a teenager it taught me how to work hard, how to save money and how to work with the public. There were a lot of valuable lessons learned even at 16.

Hostess

The summer after I started college I got a job at a local restaurant. It was a good job to keep me busy during the summer being productive. It also was my first experience in a restaurant environment, which comes with some challenges of its own. Another job that taught me some valuable lessons.

Investment Firm

As a business major and senior in college I was required to work so many hours as an intern. I found a job at an investment firm for the second semester of my senior year. This internship turned into a job right out of college, which was a blessing since so many of my friends struggled to find jobs in 2008.

This job taught me MANY things. I started working with investments in 2008 when everything crashed, I was able to get my securities licenses, I learned how to work with a very difficult boss at times, and I realized that I was capable of much more than I could have imagined. In many ways it gave me a lot of confidence.

Bank

When we moved to Pennsylvania I was excited to start working in a bank. It was a change of pace and my first “sales” type position but I actually learned a lot even though it was sometimes a struggle. I learned how to reach out of my comfort zone and really master something that I wouldn’t have thought I could.

Every hard time teaches us lessons, and even though in the end it was a struggle I gained a lot from it. It also made me realize I enjoyed banking but not that side of it. That was where I was really able to figure out my focus of where I wanted to go.

Each job teaches us something. Each stage of life teaches us something. It is even more eye opening when we can look back and see the lessons that life has taught us.

What was your first job?

What has been your favorite job you have held?