Pivoting | 3 MAJOR turning points in my life that changed everything!
1. A leap of faith….
I was two years out of college, 50k deep in student loan debt, 32,000 hours into my broadcasting career with no benefits, no vacation days and very little happiness in my job when I’d finally built up the courage to abandon the news industry and pursue something different.
Something fulfilling!
I didn’t know what I’d do next, but I knew that I couldn’t waste any more time being unhappy.
I was surrounded by a lot of negativity that came from my work environment and it had a huge effect on my mindset and my health. I was broke, sleep deprived, sick to my stomach and found myself taking my stress out on my loved ones.
Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all bad!!! I gained a ton of useful experience in my job as an anchor, reporter and producer at WDTV, I made a handful of really great friends and was adopted by an incredible family I’d found on care.com when I was looking for a babysitting gig to make extra money after wor…but I was exhausted!
It took me nearly two years to find the confidence to make a change, but the moment I handed in my notice, a weight lifted from my shoulders and space opened up in my life for an unknown blessing to fill it. I was FREE!!
What happened next would be greater than my wildest dreams.…
When I felt stuck working in my nightmare of a job in West Virginia, I began journaling, vision boarding, researching and studying the Law of Attraction. I spent all of my alone time meditating on the idea that a career was waiting for me in Pittsburgh and that I could lead a fulfilling life from there.
My only goal was to be home.
I moved back in with my mom in April of 2016 and started serving and bartending at the same bar where I’d worked in college, The Bulldog Pub. I also found an awesome nannying gig and was loving the extra cash. I’d applied for a couple of “real” jobs with no luck and admittedly felt a bit discouraged, but held on to faith that God was holding out for something better.
Finally, I had a savings account and was making a dent in my growing student loan debt. I could see my boyfriend, my friends and my family anytime instead of just on the weekends when I could make it back to the city.
Life was peaceful and I was SO SO happy!
With my new found freedom, I was able to spend time doing things I loved….
An opportunity popped up to produce a documentary for the Clean Pittsburgh commission. My mom was on the board and told me they were looking for an intern to produce a video for their annual meet and greet.
I thought to myself, I’ve got a camera, I’ve got a microphone and a tripod, why not me?! This wasn’t a paid gig, but I was taking in so much cash from bartending and babysitting and I was living at home with my mom again, so what the heck?!
This sounded like an awesome opportunity, so I took it!
That summer, I must have spent 100+ hours shooting more than 20 interviews and collecting footage for this video. I was in my glory piecing this thing together!!!
When it was complete, and they shared my film in front of the crowd during the event, I felt fulfilled!! Unlike the horror stories of deadly car accidents and devastating fires I’d been forced to share for so long in the news industry, I was able to produce this positively uplifting film that inspired others to clean up our city!
Mayor Peduto stood up and announced they’d be sharing my film on the city cable channel. I was proud and in that moment and I felt as if my future was in my hands. I had this ability to evoke emotion and inspire others through the art of filmmaking and there was nothing stopping me from making a career out of it.
Suddenly, people began asking if they could hire me to take photos of them!!!
I realized then that I had a service to offer the world and saw an opportunity to create the life I wanted instead of seeking to find it elsewhere.
Before I knew it, I had my own business!! I was taking engagement photos and producing wedding films. I made business cards and amped up my website. I developed a pricing guide and got a friend with a law degree to write up a standard contract I could use. I began collecting deposits for upcoming shoots and would put those payments towards purchasing professional equipment. I said I was a wedding videographer, and people believed me!
In the fall of 2016, I set a goal for myself to have 14 weddings under my belt by the end of the next year. Achieving that goal lit a fire inside of me! It fueled my belief in the notion that I had the power to do anything and be anyone!
I just had to intend it!!!
2. Investing in myself….