We all have something in our lives that is holding us back. Just one thing that’s preventing us from moving forward in our careers, or our relationships, etc. For me, it was my “attachment” to my part time job. Building up a clientele and becoming established as freelance designer is not something that happens quickly. The competition is fierce and you have to bring it, every day.

Now I don’t mean attachment as in “I love it, and I can’t let go.” For me it was an economical attachment, in that even though it wasn’t a high paying job, at least it was steady. Unfortunately, this is more than some people can say in this economy, so I was grateful to have it and terrified of letting it go. What if all of the sudden all my clients disappeared? How would I pay the bills? Could I risk it? What if, what if, what if?

Of course, I suppose one could say “what if?” about anything and sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and trust your instincts, your intelligence, your perseverance and your power.

I’d been having this argument with myself for about 10 months now. Last year I hired marketing coach Chris Makell, and she helped me transform my business and within a few months I was well on my way to being able to support myself as a full time freelancer. Regardless, I still was afraid to jump off the edge and quit my part time job.

Summer, fall and winter have gone by and still, I’m hanging on.

As luck would have it, Chris decided to come to Los Angeles for a 3-day seminar and she held a small luncheon for a few of her clients out here. I made the 3 hour drive to LA and I am so glad I did. It was great to meet Chris in person and to meet her other 2 clients Paula D’Andrea, a “Soul Muse” (love, love, love that term!) and Jeanette Chasworth, an interior designer who has just released her first book on color. Both are from the LA area. We had a fabulous lunch and shared great stories about what we were up to, which were both entertaining and inspiring.

Top – Jeanette Chasworth, Chris Makell. Bottom – Yours Truly, Paula D'Andrea

Sometime during the lunch, the conversation turned to me and my part-time job, where I talked more about quitting finally, because business was good and I just couldn’t find enough hours in the day to get everything done, what with freelancing, the job and I’m still trying to finish school. Besides, I was scared!

About this time, the lunch was winding down and Chris reached into her bag and pulled out 3 identical boxes. She stated that these were small gifts and she wasn’t going to hand them out, we could just choose whichever one we wanted. She added that she was sure we would choose the right one for us.

I let the other 2 ladies choose first, and then I took the last box and opened it. The gift could not have been more timely or more appropriate and it pretty much sealed the deal for me.

All of the sudden I knew what I had to do and I was no longer afraid to do it. Everything happens for a reason and the timing is always perfect. There is no such thing as bad timing. Things happen as they do because it fits into the grand plan and takes you down the right path, whatever that path may be, for whatever reason and it puts you in exactly the spot you need to be at that time, so that the next great thing can happen to you.

So, I finally “found” the courage and put in my 2-weeks notice. By the 30th of March I will be a full time freelance designer!