Taking a leap of faith

[Finch]

Just curious what other's have done that they'd consider as "taking a leap of faith"? Mine isn't anything grand but I'm waiting to apply for a new position within my company in a different department. It would be a good move but would be going from something I'm comfortable with and pretty good at (15 years) to the unknown is a little scary. The grass isn't always greener though.

I often dream of moving out west but that's a big leap of faith to me. New job, new house, new friends, new everything. Just hard for me to do. I actually joked about it to the wife and she said, "I'll go where you go." Wasn't expecting that!

What have you all done that you'd consider a big leap of faith?

 

[MattB]

Many people I know really blossomed after their gut told them to take a leap of faith. On the flip side, the devil you know is very often better than the devils you don't, so I am not a fan of making a change for the sake of making a change.

Me? I stuck in one job with the same company for 25 years and it worked out pretty well for me. Getting really good at a particular job can be the best way to maximize your economic value. You can also throttle back as life demands because the job becomes relatively easy for you compared to your peers.

 

[MuleyFever]

My wife, then girlfriend, and I quit our jobs and moved from WI to UT. She found a job right away. It took me a few weeks. Ten years later it has all worked out quite well. I am getting the itch to make another move though.

 

[roadrunner]

Prepping for a change now, probably execute early to mid next year.

Not sure what it all entails yet...

 

[Jacobo2012]

I took the leap/ am in the process
Just finished up my electricians apprenticeship and heading out to Id to a little rural town
Cannot yet comment on how it’s worked out for me lol
Time will tell….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Hauled my wife pets and everything I owned to AK. It cost most of our savings and we had some lean times but years later we are doing great and wouldn’t change a thing.

 

[Cowbell]

Went off on my own last year. Wouldn't look bad for one second. Third kid on the way abd wife constantly worries about bills but God opened a door and he always provides if you are in his will.

 

[ODB]

I've leaped so many time they are really skips...VA > UT > VA > NC > VA > ID > WA > VA > ID > WA > VA > ID. The last time in the middle of the pandemic, with the wife and kid, moved into an AirBNB for 4 weeks with no leads on a house, wife had a lead on a job but no guarantees - one year later seems to be working fine. As I type this i can see how batshit crazy it was.

My next leaps will be side gigs - those are damn hard to get started, but I've got good capital built up so just a matter of focusing on the first one and taking the first step...

 

[Carpet Capital Shyster]

Just curious what other's have done that they'd consider as "taking a leap of faith"? Mine isn't anything grand but I'm waiting to apply for a new position within my company in a different department. It would be a good move but would be going from something I'm comfortable with and pretty good at (15 years) to the unknown is a little scary. The grass isn't always greener though.

I often dream of moving out west but that's a big leap of faith to me. New job, new house, new friends, new everything. Just hard for me to do. I actually joked about it to the wife and she said, "I'll go where you go." Wasn't expecting that!

What have you all done that you'd consider a big leap of faith?

Took a leap this summer and left secure employment to start my own practice. It’s gone in fits and starts but so far so good. Found out my mother has cancer for the 3rd (and probably final) time after I decided to make the jump so I am grateful to be in complete control of my schedule now. I am able to spend a lot of time in my hometown with mom and dad. The money is not so great yet but I feel every day with them is a blessing. I am lucky to have an awesome and supportive wife through all this.

 

[Finch]

I've leaped so many time they are really skips...VA > UT > VA > NC > VA > ID > WA > VA > ID > WA > VA > ID. The last time in the middle of the pandemic, with the wife and kid, moved into an AirBNB for 4 weeks with no leads on a house, wife had a lead on a job but no guarantees - one year later seems to be working fine. As I type this i can see how batshit crazy it was.

My next leaps will be side gigs - those are damn hard to get started, but I've got good capital built up so just a matter of focusing on the first one and taking the first step...

So if I'm following this correctly, you should be back in VA next? That is a lot of moving!

 

[Finch]

Took a leap this summer and left secure employment to start my own practice. It’s gone in fits and starts but so far so good. Found out my mother has cancer for the 3rd (and probably final) time after I decided to make the jump so I am grateful to be in complete control of my schedule now. I am able to spend a lot of time in my hometown with mom and dad. The money is not so great yet but I feel every day with them is a blessing. I am lucky to have an awesome and supportive wife through all this.

Sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis!

 

[Carpet Capital Shyster]

Sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis!

Thanks brother. She’s a special lady. The funny thing is, as momma’s do, she’s the one still taking care of me! When I told her I had a COVID positive result she and dad, unsolicited, drove an hour to my house tonight to leave dinner and a pulse oxymeter at my doorstep for my family under quarantine. I just choked up watching her shuffle through the driveway with all the baskets of food and supplies she brought for my family, as the treatment infusions have had a hard effect on her and hindered her walking. Couldn’t even hug her because duh, I have COVID and she’s got cancer and has a compromised immune system. Damn. Now I’m feeling the emotions again as I type it. Go hug your mommas and sorry if I derailed this thread.

 

[AKSandman]

What’s a leap of faith? Only fools jump where angels fear to tread...

 

[coloyooper]

Took a leap of faith leaving a very good paying job (8 years in) to become a firefighter and have not regretted one second of it. Greatest job in the world and lucky enough to work for one of the highest paying departments in the state!

 

[JBrown1]

I grew up in Northern California and lived there until my early 30s. I could list all the specific ways that it was a bad fit for me, but it would take all day.

I was teaching elementary school and raising my 3yo daughter on my own. We lived in the wine country and cost of living was “excessive”. It was clear that I would never be able to buy a house on what they pay teachers, plus the hunting sucks. I wasn’t keen on raising my daughter as part of California’s working poor.

So I started to look at the places that I would’ve liked to live: MT, CO, ID, UT, etc. All offered lower cost of living, but they paid teachers poorly.

Then on a whim I looked into Wyoming. Cost of living was low and teacher pay was outstanding (this was 10 years ago).

I got on the phone the next day and got the ball rolling on a Wyoming teaching credential. A couple of months later I was taking red eye flights for interviews, and I was offered a job in SW Wyoming.

So with no family or friends in that area I loaded a uhaul trailer and buckled my daughter into her car seat and started the 1,000 mile journey.

That first year was lean and a bit lonely at times, but the hunting was great as was my job. It was nice to be valued instead of being treated as a replaceable cog in a machine.

By the beginning of our second year we had bought a beautiful little house in a great neighborhood for about a fifth of what it would have cost in CA. My daughter had a safe yard to play in on a quiet street. I had a huge garage to hang game butcher game and work on projects. Life was great.

After 3 years we had experienced a lot of great hunting in Wyoming. Then I made the mistake of accepting an offer to go fishing with an acquaintance in Alaska.

So, after putting down some roots and figuring out the hunting in Wyoming, I found that Alaska was in our future. Same as before, we had no safety net.

Towards the end of our 4th year in Wyoming I headed to the Anchorage job fair. I left having signed a contract to work in the most amazing hunting destination that a teacher could ever ask for. Luckily the renovations that I had done to our home allowed us to sell for a profit.

Alaska village life was amazing in a lot of ways, but very limited in others. We have since moved to Nome and are enjoying life here.


In my experience the greatest rewards follow the biggest leaps. A lot of us are living lives of quiet desperation. Too many of us allow that to break us. I say: take the risk. Go now. You aren’t getting any younger and the bullshit that you leave behind (“great job” retirement, etc.) is just the garbage that keeps us tied into a safe but unhappy existence.

 

[Jimbob]

5 years ago my wife and I packed up our 3 kids and everything we owned into two trailers and headed to BC. We had never been to BC before and I took a job over the phone. HUGE leap of faith, the best decision of our lives.

 

[Meety Peety]

Wife and I are currently debating a big move right now that I would consider a leap of faith (at least for me, since I'm a worry wart). Totally random that I was laying in bed contemplating what to do and stumbled across this thread.. odd..

 

[Wyobohunter]

Before we were married or had kids my wife & I moved to AK. I wanted to just go for it and see what we could make of it. She was a little hesitant but still in. She’d never even been camping before we met (she’s from Florida). We saved about $1,000 and started driving north, living in a tent. No job prospects, no family, no friends and no housing lined up. Had some “adventures” along the way. Truck catching on fire in the middle of nowhere Yukon Territory was pretty notable. Got there and bounced around a bit before finding a free campground to live in just outside of Kenai (the campground was later turned into a Mall Wart). it eventually worked out. I met some lifelong friends and started on my current career path as well as where both of my kids were born. After about 12 years the company I worked for transferred me right back to where I’m from. I love Wyoming but really consider Alaska my home and want to go back. So does my wife.

 

[lab-roamer]

Corporate America helped me take my leap of faith when I was laid off. Said "F--K it". Took my severance package and started my own small business and never looked back. Lots of opportunities out there for people that want to work and look for them and not make excuses.

 

[IdahoElk]

I thank God every day I took the leap and left New Jersey 32 years ago for Idaho, I can't imagine life had I stayed in my "comfort zone"