Saying Goodbye

Tomorrow is my last Monday at Best Buy. I am filled with mixed emotions - excitement for a new beginning, fear of finding a job in the current recession, sadness over leaving the wonderful people that I worked with. Work gave me a sense of purpose and structured my day. It was rewarding to earn money and support myself financially. Contributing ideas, providing insights, and helping others solve problems gave me a sense of satisfaction.

I am excited to have a break and time to figure out what type of job would make me happy again. However, I don't have a clear picture of what this might be and it is time to ask for help and to stay open to new opportunities. This is unfamiliar to me because I have always told myself that I need to figure things out on my own. I created a lot of resistance in my life and closed myself off to options that may have led me in a different direction. As I take this new beginning, I am going to accept the help of others and walk through any door that opens. I hope to enter a place that I cannot even imagine right now.

Walking into the unknown in today's economy is daunting. The unemployment figures make me nervous about finding that right opportunity. It is apparent how money really makes the world go round. When consumers lose confidence in their ability to earn money, they stop spending. Retailers lose sales and must adjust to a lower sales base by laying off employees. Vendors cut back production in order to reduce their inventory creating a potential shortage of product for retailers. The road ahead looks uncertain, but I am confident that the economy will turn around. I must remain patient and optimistic. I believe when the right opportunity arises, things will fall into place, despite what the economy looks like at the time.

Walking into something new means saying goodbye to the old. One of the wonderful things about Best Buy is the people. Everyone has a passion for helping others and developing new solutions to problems. Best Buy is open to new ideas and encourages employees to pursue their passions, as evident by the attractive buy out package. I met and worked with many amazing people and it will be hard to say goodbye at the end of the week.

While saying goodbye and walking into the unfamiliar is scary, I know that I made the right decision. The road I am about to travel will be rocky, but I believe that if I stay positive, ask for help, and stay open, it will lead me to what I really, really, really want. My next step is to walk away and not look back - no regrets.