It's time to go, Laurel.

Bloody hell.

I've done it.

I still pinch myself to make sure its real. Not really, just metaphorically speaking. Because I've resigned.

Is it a big deal? For me, yes, yes it is. I've worked at the same business for 26.5 years. Before that, I only had 2 other jobs, and the first was for 1 year, and the other for 3 years. Plus a bit of temping while I stuffed around a bit.

I was bored and undecided on what I wanted to do. So I left my last job and got on with a bit of temping around holidays. I landed up with an accounts job, in an old office in the middle of nowhere - what a pain having to catch the train & bus to work everyday because I didn't have my licence! It was boring too, but I sucked it up because I knew it wasn't for long. Towards the end, the sales team needed a hand, so they sent me off to help out. And the rest is history. Hello Baiada, hello the next 26.5 years.

The offices have changed, and I've definitely got my licence and a car! Most of all, I've changed too. I loved sales, I think it was one of those defining moments you have in your life. I loved talking to customers, I loved the admin shuffling, managing products, taking orders, data entry - everything. So I spent the next 16 odd years taking good care of the customers who bought our products. 

And the next step in taking care of customers? Understanding what they want, before they even know they want it. That's called marketing.

If I thought I loved customer service, then it was a love affair when I discovered marketing. I went to a TAFE course, aced it then came back and started implementing things. Some of the systems I put in place all those years ago are still being used now.

I was lucky enough to work on 2 amazing brands in marketing which targeted different customer segments. Both had good marketing budgets, and both gave me the chance to create some really beautiful work and achieve some amazing results.

But now, its time for the next thing. Yes, it took me a long time to make the decision, and yes, I'm a little nervous but the overriding feeling is excitement for the challenge ahead.

It's never too late to make a change. If you want to keep doing the same thing for the next 20 years and you're comfortable with that, then enjoy and keep going. Or if you're like me, and discover that you actually want different things to what you have now (and I'm not talking about physical assets necessarily - I'm talking about a change in values, self respect, different opportunities and personal development) then make a move.

Someone smart once told me that I'm not a tree. It felt like it from where I was standing, but if you stretch enough, flex just a bit and start to sway towards the same types of things constantly, then I firmly believe that its a sign that you should reconsider what it is you are doing, and where you are going.

I think I've written about intuition before. All those little signs that you don't really take any notice of until its like a snowball effect, and you HAVE to listen. That's intuition. And you really should listen because you can numb it all you like, but its just going to get louder, like a ripple effect. I finally listened, and took some action.

So my moment has come. I've got 4 weeks left with a company that I've known and loved for the last quarter of a century and heading into the new. Its so exciting, its a marketing role with much more autonomy and loads of things to learn. Plus a funky office near the city.

You know what I'm going to miss the most? It probably sounds trite, but its the people. My friends that I have known for over half of my life, that I've seen every day for years and most likely have been involved in the key milestones in their lives, like weddings and kids. Plus the new people who haven't been in my life that long but have made a huge impact. That's what I'm going to miss.

Plus the gym, and Jamie the Gym Guy.

So, lets talk again about this in 4 weeks and I'll let you know how I feel then. In the meantime, my aim is to be super professional and tidy up the loose ends, and get the team ready for a life without me. Bittersweet, hey. Feels a little like my heart has been broken, but it will mend.

Have you gone through a massive life change? How did it go for you? Write a comment, I'd love to hear your story or thoughts. Laurel xx