Within this year I left the job I'd been working for the last 7. Something in me knew there was more for me in the world. Even though it was were I was happy and comfortable, I pushed my own boundaries and left. Now, I'm across the country, pursuing several dreams at once. When you know, you know.

I was in a different industry and realized it was a dead end with manufacturing going to China. I researched the chemical industry and found a position at Ashland Distribution. I convinced the hiring manager that even though I had no chemical experience that I had an excellent sales record, was a quick study and that my track record proved I could grow the territory. I've been in the industry for over 10 years.

In the early days of adulthood, I found myself a single mother, nearly finished with nursing school, facing the overwhelming responsibility of providing for my child. Life demanded a pivot, and I made one of the scariest decisions of my life: leaving a familiar path to pursue a career in banking. That leap of faith, born out of necessity, became the foundation of the success I enjoy today. Sometimes, the most uncertain steps lead to the most extraordinary destinations. Growth often begins where comfort ends. So take the leap, trust yourself, and never look back. Your future is waiting.

I realized I needed change when comfort started feeling like confinement. I took the leap with fear in one hand and faith in the other and life met me with alignment.

I realized most likely I wouldn't be retiring at the company I was at. I'd been there essentially 12 years! I needed industry experience and startup experience so I joined a health insurance start up. A much needed change for me!

I realized I wasn't leaving a job. I was evolving beyond it. Every challenge, every success, and every lesson prepared me to finally choose myself. Growth isn't about walking away; it's about recognizing when you've outgrown the space you once helped build while having the wisdom to know that those who helped you along the way will always be part of your journey. I'll forever be grateful for them.

Every leader reaches a point where they must choose: continue to tolerate what no longer serves them or take action to improve it. I’ve learned that progress starts the moment we stop complaining and start leading.

I learned a lot in that role, but ultimately wanted to be part of a leadership team whose vision and management style better matched my own values. I've been excited to bring those lessons forward into an environment that prioritizes collaboration and transparent communication.

I have made this choice when I realized I was not growing and did not have anywhere to go, so I looked elsewhere, by getting a headhunter. I have been told it is easier to find a job when you have a job, so that is what I did. Change is hard, but if you feel you are stuck, you do not want to stay miserable and un-happy.

A career is a curriculum; when the course stops teaching you, switch to a course that does.

The turning point in my journey came the day I was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and told I would need to take heart medication, along with cholesterol pills, for the rest of my life. I remember sitting there in disbelief, thinking: How could this be it? How could the solution to my health come down to a lifetime prescription? When I asked if there was anything else I could do, my cardiologist smiled and said, "What you eat doesn't really make a difference. Your diet is already healthy." She gave me two months to "try whatever I wanted," certain it wouldn't change a thing. But two months later, I walked back into her office a completely different person. My symptoms had improved dramatically. The doctor's eyes widened as she admitted, "What you're doing is exactly what my patients should be doing." When I told her I had simply changed my diet and lifestyle, she didn't want to discuss it further, but I didn't need her validation anymore. That experience opened my eyes to something fundamental: I had been giving away all my power by trusting diagnoses more than my own body. And while I'm deeply grateful for medical professionals, I also understood something essential: for lifestyle-related conditions, we must become active participants, even the primary decision-makers, in our own healing. That realization set me on a new path. I stopped seeing my diagnosis as a life sentence and started seeing it as an invitation; a call to reclaim my health, my body, and my power. And once I took back that responsibility, everything shifted. Today, my mission is to help others do the same: to trust the body's innate intelligence, make conscious choices, and create a life that nourishes both themselves and the planet.

I was always invited to the table but never truly welcomed. The moment I recognized my worth and realized I was more than qualified to build my own table, my entire mindset shifted, and that's when real change began!

I gave everything I had to my law firm for 25 years. Finding work life balance is a constant challenge- especially for women. Sometimes success means making a move. I co-founded a new very successful company, Primacy Strategy Group. #PSG. With changing leadership in both of my organizations, it was the right time to take a breath, focus on my family, and search for the next adventure. I am the CEO of Doggos Paw and Play Park, and it is my passion! 🐾

The moment I realized I needed to change was when I embraced the philosophy "rejection is REDIRECTION." After being laid off at a company I was at for 11 years, it couldn't be more clear how much of a change I needed. I face this new chapter with excitement and gratitude for all of the lessons I've learned along the way.

I knew the universe would tell me when it was time to move on from my position with a global company. After 12 years of great achievements, mentoring/coaching, creating new initiatives & driving outstanding revenues, it became very clear to me when I could not support the new CEO with his strategy & more so his lack of valuing the sales teams.

I thought strength meant holding it all together until motherhood showed me that real strength is knowing when to let go. Walking away from chaos helped me find balance, healing, and a mission to help other moms do the same.

From Seth Godin, "Change almost never fails because it's too early. It almost always fails because it's too late." In business and in life it's critical that you constantly evaluate, recognize and pivot / change as early as possible. This one principal has brought me the success and enabled me to rise to the level I am today.

I finally accepted that my current situation was never going to bring me happiness, and was, in fact, robbing me of any joy in my life. I vowed to find my joy again, regardless of the hard decisions and what I needed to walk away from. And, I did it. I walked into the great unknown and fought for a better life. All the challenges along the way and the courage it took to keep faith in my dream, were worth it. I am now living my dream that once felt almost impossible. Keep dreaming your big dream, you are worth it!

At several points in my life, when a job I had loved, evolved in a way that conflicted with my personal and professional ethics - it became clear that my next step was to walk away to something new. This always came with a sense of loss, but also a renewed vision of hope.

I realized I needed change when I stopped growing. Walking away from stability to bet on myself was terrifying, but staying would have meant settling, and I didn't come this far to only get this far.

A situation arose in a job I had been at for many years, this single event allowed me to recognize that my time with this company had come to an end. An opportunity landed in my lap to make a jump into a different specialty of healthcare as well as broaden my scope of responsibility. The courage to make a change during that time of my life was the catalyst that propelled my career fast forward. I have no regrets, and learned the courage to step out can advance your career to a level you never expect or in a direction you never imagined yourself to go (in the most positive ways possible).

In the year of 2020, I was at my lowest: mentally, physically, and spiritually. I felt like I had nowhere to turn. A change needed to happen somewhere, and where I started was community. Changing who I surrounded myself with was the greatest blessing that put me on a trajectory for holistic wellness. I value the communities I place myself in because the people within motivate me to be a better version of myself every single day. The people I surround myself with model lifestyles, I aspire to emulate.

There came a point in my career when I realized that staying in my previous role was no longer aligned with my growth, values, or long-term goals. It was a difficult decision, because leaving a familiar environment can feel uncertain, but I knew that true progress required change. I made the leap by carefully evaluating my priorities, seeking advice from mentors, and trusting my instincts. It wasn’t about abandoning stability, but about pursuing opportunities where I could make a meaningful impact and continue to develop professionally. The next chapter led me to my current role as Executive Assistant to the CEO at Gracemark Solutions, where I’ve been entrusted with significant responsibility, including face-to-face meetings with key enterprise clients. Walking away from a position that no longer fit allowed me to step into a role that challenges me, leverages my strengths, and aligns with my values. This experience taught me that courage isn’t always about reaching higher; sometimes it’s about stepping forward into the right path, even if it means leaving comfort behind.

Sometimes the bravest move isn’t climbing higher it’s walking away. For me, that moment came after years of leading clinical research teams across Latin America and the U.S., mentoring professionals, and stewarding complex operations. I had the title, the metrics, the stability. But I also had a divine nudge: this season was complete. The moment I knew I needed change? When I realized that staying would mean shrinking. I wasn’t burned out I was being called out. I saw the blueprint for INNATA Inc. through spiritual discernment and strategic conviction. It wasn’t just a business idea it was an assignment rooted in restoration, legacy, and generational impact. How I made the leap? I anchored in stewardship. I didn’t chase funding I clarified the mission. I built lender-ready plans that honored courage and integrity. I released performance-driven leadership and chose joy over pressure. I modeled elevated communication in every outreach, decline, and partnership offer. And I built coalitions with women, families, and organizations who shared INNATA’s values because alignment is the true currency of legacy. What came next? Breakthrough. I began mentoring others to leap from clarity, not fear. I published mission-driven materials, built strategic alliances, and watched restoration ripple through every partnership. Walking away didn’t end my career it recalibrated it. And today, I teach others that when you walk away from misalignment, you don’t lose you rise.

I spent 15 years running a cancer center and aster a while became stagnant. For a long time, I equated success with staying the course — pushing harder, doing more, proving myself. But there came a moment when I realized that staying no longer aligned with who I was becoming. I wasn’t growing; I was just enduring. Walking away from a 15 year old career wasn’t about giving up — it was about choosing growth over comfort. It required faith, courage, and a willingness to sit in the unknown for a while. But on the other side of that decision came clarity, renewed purpose, and a career that aligns with both my values and my peace of mind.

Leaving a job that once defined your identity is one of the hardest—and most freeing—decisions you can make. For years, I poured myself into a role that looked successful on paper but no longer aligned with the person I was becoming. The long hours, the constant pressure, and the feeling of being "on" all the time began to chip away at my sense of purpose. I realized I was no longer growing; I was just performing. The moment of clarity came quietly. One day, sitting in another strategy meeting, I realized that what used to energize me now felt heavy. That's when I knew it was time to choose alignment over achievement. I spent weeks reflecting on what I wanted next—work that felt meaningful, teams that inspired me, and a mission that aligned with my values. I built a plan, not an escape. I organized my finances, networked intentionally, and trusted that leaving something good could make space for something greater. When I finally gave notice, it wasn't out of frustration—it was out of peace. The transition wasn't easy, but it reminded me that courage isn't just about pushing forward; sometimes it's about letting go. What came next was clarity. New opportunities appeared that matched both my professional strengths and personal growth. I rediscovered creativity, confidence, and the excitement that comes from building again. Leaving that job taught me that success evolves—and so should we. The bravest thing we can do is listen when something no longer fits, and have the courage to rewrite our own definition of fulfillment.

Money isn't worth my peace, it will leave you worse off when you trade alignment for achievement. I've learned that no paycheck is worth your purpose, and no title is worth your tranquility.

The decision to leave a job without having another one lined up can be incredibly risky, but sometimes it's necessary for personal growth and happiness. In my story, I realized that staying in my current role at QRM was no longer serving her best interests, and I took a leap of faith by resigning. Despite facing a year of unemployment, I persevered and continued to search for my dream job. During this time, I may have taken the opportunity to reassess my career goals, update my skills, and network with others in my field. Through determination and resilience, I eventually landed a job that aligned with my passions and values at Holland Lake Rehab. My story serves as a reminder that taking risks and embracing uncertainty can lead to rewarding opportunities and personal fulfillment. While walking away from a job without a backup plan may not be the right choice for everyone, it's essential to listen to your instincts and prioritize your well-being when making significant life decisions.