How I quit my job and became The Chai Girl!
When I was little I wanted to be an actress. I used to argue so much with my parents they were sure I'd grow up to be a lawyer and get paid to argue.
Not in a million years did I dream of running my own chai tea business.
That is until one fateful day in the Czech republic when I had my first sip of chai. And my life changed forever.
Before discovering Chai I was lost. No exaggeration. I'm sure I was mildly depressed too.
I was working jobs I didn't love. Partly because I needed the money and partly because I didn't really know what else to do. I felt trapped.
The idea of working in an office 9-5 for the next 40 years was too much!
The future loomed uninspiringly out in front of me. Getting to work everyday was a battle. I was literally dragging myself in. At one point I thought "I must have a serious mystery illness" as I always found myself feeling sick on work days. "No, you just hate your job" was the real truth.
So I set off backpacking. I thought maybe I'd do a stint working in London. Instead, I ended up volunteering in the Czech Forrest. One day we went to 'town' where we stumbled upon a tiny little teahouse. For me it was love at first sip. No turning back. I was hooked.
Eventually I had to return home. Back to my old job. But I did get to make chai for all my buddies at work everyday. 3pm Chai Time. It was the only part of my day I loved.
I wondered how I could make this my job. It took five years of wondering, planning, dreaming and lets face it procrastinating before I actually took the plunge.
You can probably guess how ridiculously freaking happy I am with my choice. When I decided to follow what I really loved (even though it was pretty darn obscure) I came alive instantly. I found my place. I found my mojo.
Life is now rich with creativity and passion. I've grown in so many ways. Every day I am stretching myself and the rewards are amazing.
That's not to say it's always rainbows and lollipops. There have been plenty of ups and downs along the way. Still I wouldn't trade it for the world. And I could never ever go back.
It is definitely one of those cases where I look back and wish I'd done it earlier. It's often the way when we are scared. We put it off and build it up so much that by the time we actually face our fears we think - "Is that it? Is that what I was worried about?"
So if you are sitting on an idea, a desire, even an inkling of something you might like to do, I encourage you with all my heart to take the plunge. Don't wait five years!
The world needs your unique offering (remember how obscure mine was - making chai for my buddies at work!) and you need it. You need to give that gift to yourself. Or else what's the point? Sounds bleak I know. But really that's what I believed and still do. That's why I was depressed because to me there is no point living out a role of a job or life that isn't really you.
You'll know if your not living your best life too. If you find yourself draggin' your feet into the office each day and suspecting some kind of mystery illness... it's much more likely there is something that is truly more YOU out there... go get it!!! Visit: www.iquitmyjob.com.au
