Close your eyes and jump. This month, cultivate your courage.
My first day back to the office after a very generous 6-month maternity leave, I cried my entire commute. Not small little tears that rolled down my cheeks but the body-consuming sobs that make strangers stare. Once I got off the subway, I had calmed the sobbing but the tears were still coming. When I got to the security guard at the 30 Rock elevators I could tell by his inquisitive yet gentle smile that I still looked like a mess. Before I had my son, I had loved my job. The hours were great, the work was challenging and rewarding, I genuinely enjoyed time with my coworkers and my boss was supportive and enthusiastic. But toward the end of my pregnancy, I had complications that put me in the hospital, and I went out on disability before starting my maternity leave. I was out of the office for a total of 7 months, and something changed during that time.
I realized the job I had was no longer working for me. It was comfortable, but in a weird way, too comfortable. If I was going to be away from my baby, I wanted to be challenged more, pushed more. I felt I had hit a ceiling. And yet, I didn’t know what else to do. A colleague who had recently left NBC for another corporate job asked me if I would be interested in joining him. They had a position that would be challenging and new. I considered it for a week. I took my son on a weekend vacation to meet a dear friend and I talked about it with her as we drove through the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was then that I realized no corporate setting would be right for me at that moment. So instead, he introduced me to M.T. Deco founder Melissa Blum.
The first phone call I had with Melissa we talked for 2 hours straight. I was pacing around the living room of my old apartment, spilling my guts about my frustrations, my dreams. Melissa not only understood completely, but was ahead of me on her journey. She had left NBC months prior, and was building her own company. She gave me what amounted to the biggest and most influential pep talk of my adult life -- she said, essentially, to close my eyes and jump into the unknown. She assured me it was OK to leave my corporate identity and strike out on my own. And she was proof that I could do it and be successful as well as the type of mother I wanted to be.
Last month we talked about perspective, about listening to others’ input, and being open to a change in your own views and priorities. This month, we’re taking it a step further and focusing on courage. Big changes are never easy, and let’s be honest, little ones aren’t always easy either. But whether you’re trying something new, making a change, or simply trying to overcome the latest setback, your courage is key to your success.
What courage looks like for M.T. Deco this month is a big old celebration -- September marks the 3rd anniversary of its founding. We’ll be honoring the courage it took to get here by sharing Melissa’s reflections on 3 years in business and the story behind the M.T. Deco name. If you’re feeling courageous and starting a new business or project, we’ll have tips on how to do a competitive analysis and a deep-dive into YouTube -- is it the right platform for your brand?
As always, our contributors are making life extra interesting this month. Megan Collins of the Manicured Shelf is back with her book list to inspire your courage. We also have a bonus offering this month -- a giveaway for one of our followers of the book of your choice from Megan’s list! [details here]. And Lissie Jacobson is back with a Spotify playlist that’s guaranteed to make you feel courageous. We also have an extra special addition to our contributor roster this month -- Jeff Blum -- Melissa’s husband will share what it’s like to be married to an entrepreneur and how to support the ones in your life.
We hope you join us this month as you step into your own unknown, take a leap of faith, or say something you’ve been meaning to say. We’re here to help you cultivate your courage, to embrace all that you have to offer, and to know that however you manifest your own courage this month, we’re right here with you, cheering you on.