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Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?

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A mom on a laptop and her young daughter in a high chair in a kitchen.

Closing in on 30 I found myself right where I had planned: I had a job that paid well and offered the opportunity for upward movement. The problem? I was miserable. I couldn’t find a balance between my work and personal life, and I was missing out on some key experiences with loved ones.

I decided it was time for a change and began my job search. I looked high and low. I applied for anything I feasibly thought would allow me similar income and status. Each time I didn’t get a call back was like icing on my disparity cake. It felt useless.

In an attempt to regain control, I decided to make a list of my priorities. I knew there were two things necessary: I wanted to help people and I needed upward career mobility. Once I reframed my budget to determine the range that I could accept for salary, my whole job search changed. Suddenly there were opportunities presenting themselves everywhere.

I determined where to apply based on reviews from current and former employees and I looked more closely into the function of the roles for which I was applying. What happened has been incredible.

By restructuring my financial priorities and clearly separating my wants vs. needs, I’ve experienced a vastly improved quality of life. There’s more pressure on my budget, yes, but the things most important to me still remain. I just have to be more conscious before opening my wallet. It’s worth it. I have more quality time with my loved ones, and I am able to leave work where it belongs – at the office.

My life lesson I learned here is that we work to support our lifestyles; our lifestyles shouldn’t revolve around our work. Nothing is set in stone. I never thought that I would be able to change my career path, but it worked through restructuring my priorities. My spending did increase in one category -- quality time with my family, something that is absolutely invaluable.

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