Dream Not Deferred

I spoke to my manager on Monday. I explained to him that I wouldn't be willing to work in the office a few days a week beginning next month, as he had requested, because I wasn't willing to leave Isabella. He told me he didn't want me to leave, and basically gave me permission to write my own ticket. He asked if I would continue working FT from home, if our CEO approved. He offered me part-time work, if caring full-time for Isabella and working FT was beginning to be too much. He offered me contract work instead of FT employment. It was nice to feel valued and respected.

I proposed a job-sharing situation (more or less PT), which after he talked it over with our CEO, he ended up rejecting, because he wants to add another full-time person to our department, not a part-timer. So basically I had two choices: continue doing what I was doing, which is working FT from home, or quitting and working for my company on a freelance basis, while also freelancing elsewhere.

Until 10 minutes before I phoned him with my decision. I had no idea what I was going to do. For all my certainty and resolve, I turned to mush when the time came for the decision to be made. Thoughts of having to weave Isabella clothes out of cat hair this winter and sell my platelets to buy groceries danced around the cobwebs still holding court in my head. I wanted to make the right decision. Not necessarily the one I wanted. But the one that was made with the best interest of both me and my family in mind.

And then I received a sign. Isabella was napping. I got off the treadmill, and checked my email, and there sitting in my inbox was a message from my manager, asking me to whip up a three- page product description document for one of our sales guys to send to a client. He needs it by the end of the day. It represents hours of work and time I don't have to give during Isabella's waking hours. I receive at least one request like this a week- a project that emerges at the last minute and must be completed ASAP. A part of my job that immediately sends me into a downward spiral of stress, frustration, and impatience with my daughter, who somehow never got the memo about staying seated in one spot in the living room, quietly reading books for three hours, while her mommy gets her work done. It's exactly these kind of requests that I will not have to deal with as a freelancer.

So I picked up the phone and called my manager. I told him I'd handle the task, but also that I had made up my mind to leave the company at the end of September and transition to freelance work. He was disappointed, but said he understood. He assured me there would be plenty of work for me to do, and that it would be a win-win situation for both of us.

And so it is. I'm leaving my job at the end of September. I'll continue to work for them as a freelancer. But I'm also venturing out beyond corporate technical/marketing writing into feature-writing. I want to write about things I'm passionate about and things that interest me. Of course, that's what I do here, on this blog. But it would be nice to make a living from it too. And with a little luck, that's exactly what I'll be able to.

Thank you so much for all your support and kind words. It means more to me than you know.

12 Responses to “Dream Not Deferred”

  1. # Blogger Marie

    Hip hip hooray!!!!!!!!!

    Can you see me jumping up and down? That's what I'm doing.

    Good for you Kristi! & Isabella!!! Those signs are a funny thing, huh?  

  2. # Blogger shokufeh

    Yay, you! And thanks to your boss for sending you the email you needed to make your decision. Good luck! And congratulations!  

  3. # Blogger Gal on the Go

    Congrats Kristi! Everything happens for a reason and that email came just in time. You must feel the weight of the world slowly lifting from your shoulders.  

  4. # Blogger beagle

    Scary to give up a steady paycheck, but this sounds like a great solution!

    Not to mention, it must feel good to know you are that valuable to them. You are great. I knew it, but I guess they did too!

    Yay!  

  5. # Blogger Christine

    Congratulations!

    You've got much more in the way of cajones than I can currently imagine having myself. Well done!  

  6. # Blogger Unknown

    Woo-hoo! I'm so happy that you've found something that will work for your family :-)  

  7. # Blogger Damselfly

    Sounds like they really love ya! Knowing that so many companies have so little to offer to parents/moms and are so inflexible makes your company really stand out. But it also sounds as though they love your work so much -- you're excellent at what you do and shouldn't have to open up a vein to pay the bills. Good luck! And I hope you feel at peace with your decision.  

  8. # Blogger Shannon

    good for you... it sounds like you made the right choice for your family... I am sooo happy for you also... I think you will enjoy freelance work much more than what you are doing now... because you can always say no lol...  

  9. # Blogger kenju

    I like what Shannon said, with freelancing - you CAN always say no.

    It's a good thing that sign came when it did, Kristi. Good for you for making that decision. I think you will end up being happier with it as time rolls on!  

  10. # Anonymous Anonymous

    Yes! Great decision.

    Now, about that cat hair weaving. Don't knock it. I envision a cutting edge business there! That could become all the rage!!!  

  11. # Blogger sunShine

    That is awesome!  

  12. # Blogger Laura McIntyre

    Thats wonderful you made a descions,
    kids grow so fast and you can miss
    so much - work will always be there  

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Quick Snapshot:

  • 34-year-old writer and
    mother to a daughter
    born in August 2006 following
    IVF and girl/boy twins born in October 2008 following FET. Come along as I document the search for my lost intellect. It's a bumpy ride. Consider yourself warned.

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