Game Face

There’s that pesky little saying that the only constant is change. This is sometimes super annoying to hear because it’s obnoxiously true. And lately, I’ve been rolling with the punches and waiting for things to “settle down,” when in reality, there’s not much chance of that anytime soon. Here’s why:

• My boss quit. Nine months ago, our marketing exec quit. Three months before that, our marketing director quit. None of these positions has been filled.
• I’m within about a month of being ready for my personal trainer certification exam.
• My health has been wonky for reasons I don’t understand. Anxiety, stress – who knows.
• In spite of feeling wonky, I feel better about my body and health than I have in a long time. (Side note: I started this blog when I realized I’d gained 20 pounds after getting together with Boyfriend. Proud to say that since that realization, I’m back to where I started and way stronger. Badass point for me!)

So there’s been a lot of change – good and bad. But for now, I’m going to focus on that first bullet – my boss quitting – because that’s the reason for my game face.

This is a big deal for me because it means there’s a huge gap between me and any form of managerial guidance. My interim supervisor is located in a different office, and though I have a lot of faith and confidence in her, it’s still different to not have my supervisor just a few steps away.

In light of all the changes at work, here’s the Game Face list:

• Boss gone means more responsibility for me. This is good, because I was getting bored with what I was doing.
• Changing things up means more opportunity to be heard. You always want to believe that your supervisor is going to bat for you, making arguments for your ideas to those who can actually make decisions. In absence of that, I can speak a little louder on my own behalf.
• More opportunity to be seen. When people come directly to me, they’re not seeing any filtered version of what I do for them. That’s motivating to me.
• This is good experience for me, but doesn’t deter me from my personal training goal. It just makes me want it more.

Lately, it’s become pretty apparent to me that I’m going to end up doing both – working my current job and working part time as a personal trainer – even if it’s just for a little while. I make a good living, and for the most part, still like what I do (at least part of the time – maybe more now). There’s no doubt that I feel more fulfilled when I’m being active and physical. But I also know that I make it nearly impossible to be successful if I take that dive and end up in financial ruin.

So, if I want the best of both worlds, I’m going to have to step up my game. I’d like to think that I really excel when faced with challenges, and I’m about to find out for sure. What I do know is that I’m proud of my work ethic, I’m proud of my determination, and I believe in my goals. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll hang in there – because the only constant is change. So even when things just suck, hang on, it’ll change.