Would it be irrational...?

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

This week has been incredible. I am so in love with both my doodles. They make me so incredible happy and taking care of them brings me such a sense of fulfillment. I love going to the park with them and playing with the other dogs. Being around animals seems to fill me with joy. My eyes light up when I talk about it. 

 

All week at work I thought about my furbabies all the time and couldn't wait to get home to play with them. Work itself is blah. My job is ok in theory, but the people, the politics and my dummy boss are all driving me nuts, and making it difficult for me to enjoy being at work. Lately it's been so bad I've been making comments like, "who cares? as long as my pay check comes in every two weeks it doesn't matter what happens from 9-5"...

 

I am always fantasising about doing other stuff. I used to want to travel and do humanitarian work. Then I went through a phase where I wanted to work in the fitness industry. Then another phase where I wanted to open a bakery and sell pies :)

 

A few months ago I was noting to some friends how I feel like I never really found my passion in life.  I have a good job, with a good secure income and excellent pension and benefits. The thing is I don't love it, I just sort of fell into it. I don't hate it mind you, but really, I feel like I've been tolerating it. I don't enjoy being in an office all day, sitting at a computer. I'm so envious of people who always knew what they wanted to be, went for it, and are now passionate about what they do. This has never been me. In the search for something that really gets me going, I am always signing myself up to new activities and starting new hobbies, which I never follow through on (yoga, running, dancing lessons, photography class, knitting (?), tennis lessons, flute lessons, etc, etc, etc). In fact, I'm so flakey when it comes to my hobbies that people were worried about me getting a pet, in case I flaked out like usual. Well, when it came to my doodle bugs and kitty cat, it was the opposit that happened. I couldn't be more enthused and committed.

 

I was at a wedding back in the spring and was chatting with someone I had just met that night. She asked me what I do for a living and I sort of shrugged it off as a boring government job, almost apologetically. Then I got talking about Sophie Bear, and my eyes lit up like the sun. I was enthusiastic and spoke with passion. I then got into talking about my trip to thailand and the time I visited the elephant rehabilitation park where they help abused or injured elephants get back on their feet. It was a moving and eye opening experience for me. She said to me that she can see that I clearly love animals and asked why I don't make a profession out of it. This 20-something year old yoga instructor, who had just met me for the first time, commented on the difference in my tone and energy when talking about my job, vs. talking about my pets and experiences with animals. It was an eye opening moment.

 

Yesterday I asked a friend and co-worker if it would be irrational if I quit my secure government job and opened a doggie daycare. I have been remarking on the complete void of doggie daycares and dog training options in my area. Most of the facilities are in the burbs. My dog walker used to be an accountant, but she gave that up to be a dog walker. She is my hero.

 

Yes, I know it would be irrational to quit my secure job and excellent salary and benefits, to start a venture that I could very well flunk at. But I just can't help myself from dreaming about it...

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Life is too short, way too short to spend that much time doing a job that doesn't make you excited.  I say "go for it"!!!!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Why don't you look into all the ins and outs of starting up a small business as a start?

 

Having that goal in mind, you can decide if it's truly what you want to do.  Take a couple courses about running a small business (unless you already know that stuff) to educate yourself.  Talk to owners of similar businesses for their perspectives.

 

You would be a lot more comfortable taking "the plunge" if you knew you'd covered all the angles! 

[Becka]

Irrational? Perhaps. But I don't see how that makes it the wrong choice. This woman, by listening to you and commenting honestly about what she heard, gave you the gift of clarity and perspective--I think that what would be truly irrational would be to ignore that gift.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Sherri-OMG! I said these exact words to some people who asked me what I would do if it was anthing in the world and I said own a doggie daycare! Wow. I am not in the position financially to do it right now but if you are couldn't you get it started and still hold on to your job and benefits?? Then when everything's going good quit?? This sounds so similar to me. I don't think that if you did it that it wouldn't be a passion that you would quit on. Good luck girl!