When I started to realize my career in Digital Marketing was never going to make me happy, and needed extra cash to break free, I picked up dog walking as a second job. What started as a way to earn extra cash turned into the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. Saying that – it wasn’t all fun and games, especially during the Winter of 2022 when it was pretty rough. No pun intended.
The temperature was at least below 20 degrees most days this past winter. Some days got down below 10 degrees. On those particular days when you step outside, and if you don’t have a part of your body covered, you’re going to feel it. I started to realize it was hard to take off a glove, open a poop bag, and then pick up the poop with said bag while walking a dog. My hands would freeze! Do it enough times, and my knuckles began to cut open. To remedy this problem, I started leaving open poop bags in my jacket pocket. That way I didn’t have to open them in the cold. I could keep my hands in the jacket and when ready, pull out the bag and grab the nasty leftovers.
In between walks, I was studying to earn my yoga certification. Wrapped up in my car staring at my phone trying my best to learn how to teach yoga thanks to YogaRenew and wanting to cry because I found myself in this position – picking up poop in the freezing cold and studying in my crappy car. I had only told a small group of people what I was doing & why. Those people were in another city. I felt alone. Cold. Miserable. Cold. Depressed. Cold. Anxious. Cold. Silly. And cold.
The only thing pushing me forward during this time was the idea of a better life. One where I actually did get up each day and enjoy what I was doing for a living. That each day of my life could have meaning. Something, I knew, I could never achieve with my current job and position. So I drudged on.
That was about 10 months ago. Today, I am a certified yoga instructor, started this blog, saved up enough money to quit my job, and ready for a life-changing trip to Europe. To put it plainly, I did it!
I tell you this in the hopes to inspire you. Wherever you might be, whatever you might be going through, however lonely you might feel – You. Got. THIS! Keep going, keep pushing forward, and use the idea of a better future as fuel to take that next step. Always, always, always remember – you are powerful, you are worth it.
See you out there.