It’s been a little over two months since I was fired lost my job. I wanted to check in and let you know how it’s going. Hopefully there won’t be a three months unemployed post in October. Since unemployment isn’t very photogenic, I’ve thrown in a few photos from the past week just to spice things up a bit.
As I mentioned in my One Month Unemployed post, I’ve been enjoying my time off. Once the unemployment checks started coming, it took a lot of weight off my shoulders. I think I really needed the down time after working at such a stressful place for so long.
I want to clarify my previous sentence. I loved my job. I loved the members. I loved my staff. I even liked my supervisor a lot. My experience just goes to show how easy it is for someone to make your life miserable more challenging. (I refuse to give her the power for miserable.)
In my original Your Fired post (no link because I was “persuaded” to take it down after a day), I spoke, none too kindly, about the privileged women who staff the boards and committees at country clubs. Well at least at the country club where I used to work.
I have since found out, from several sources (some people still like me), that it really wasn’t the board, or the committee, most of whom were out of town for summer. It really was one woman, who considers herself the “boss” of the committee (she even yelled at them once to be quiet at a meeting). She’s been known to go over the committee’s head in the past and present them with a “done deal” when they returned in the fall. She also was ready to get rid of me several years ago. I know these things because some people have talked to me.
In a strange kind of way, that made me feel better about it all. Now I know that there wasn’t a conspiracy out there. That the committee member who I spoke to a few days before I was fired wasn’t in the know about it all and covering it up. That there wasn’t a secret, over-email, vote to get rid of me. That there are some people out there who were shocked that I was given no notice and no kind of settlement.
So, to get back to the topic at hand, the last two months have been a peaceful reprieve from the stress I was under at my old job. The icing on my unemployed cake is that I haven’t had a single migraine in the last two months. Which is a good thing because I no longer have medical insurance and can’t afford to buy the medication!
We had three cross country meets in a week, including this one in Hemet. We finished 4th, which is so exciting for the girls (and their coach!).
My days have been full though. I’ve been writing, of course, keeping up with this blog, my other blog, Media Fitness Coach, and a couple other projects, including this one about the importance of youth sports. I’ve taken on a couple social media jobs. I’ve even spent a little time cleaning my house! And of course, it’s cross country season, so in addition to practice most days, I’ve been heading off to invitational meets every Saturday with the team. Basically all the things I was doing before, causing me to wonder wherever did I find the time to do all this while working a full time job?
More cross country pictures, because I spent a lot of time with the team this week. And I love pictures of girls running.
I have also done some job searching. As much as I’ve enjoyed this time off, I don’t want it to go on forever. I’ve had two interviews for positions similar to the one that I left. One so far I know that I wasn’t selected. The other hadn’t even started the recruitment process (I had sent in my resume several months ago for another position), so it will be a while before they move ahead.
Unemployment Update: 2 months and ready to get working again. Need a Personal Trainer? #Fitfluential
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The good news is, I have found a job! I will be starting as a personal trainer at a country club in Palm Desert. My orientation is on Wednesday, and I will actually meet with my first client that morning. Of course, as with any personal training job, I will be building my business, it doesn’t happen overnight.
I have also spoken to a former client, who is a member at another club. I hope to train him there, plus hopefully take some other clients there as well. The former client says that he will get his friends to train with me, so that’s all good!
The only thing is that here in the desert, most potential clients will not be returning until November when the weather is finally cool, the golf courses reopen, and the “season” officially starts. So I have at least another month to enjoy some downtime as I prepare to go back to work.
Two of the kids got a haircut this week.
I am actually pretty excited about the way things are working out. Being a personal trainer was always the career that I wanted. The career where I combined my love of fitness, my joy in helping others, and my natural teaching ability. Managing a fitness center, while interesting and challenging, doesn’t compare (though it does offer benefits..there are always trade-offs). I’m hoping, no, planning, that this time around, between working as a personal trainer, and maintaining my writing career, I can make enough money to create my own “benefit plan.” And be a lot happier while I’m doing it.
Instagram photo of the day. Yes, I’m positive, yes, I love my life, but sometimes I still want this. (Are you following me? Why not?)
So, if you had a chance to change careers, would you do it? What do you want to be “when you grow up?” Are you already doing it?