Many people dread Mondays, so much that it has been the butt-end of jokes and meme’s for years. I used to dread it too when I started feeling stuck at jobs or that I would never move up from that position. And the truth was, I knew that I wouldn’t because there was no room up to go. There was a point when I lost both myself and so much in my life. But that’s not what today is about! So let’s focus on the positive.
Before making the decision and leap to partner up and run a business, I was working at a job that demanded so much from me. To the point that I would work through lunch and stay an hour to hour and a half past my scheduled time. If we had a convention coming up, it wasn’t unusual for us to work 12-14 hour shifts. Since I was salary, unless you work over a certain amount of hours per week, your employer does not need to pay you for those extra hours. It wasn’t like my manager asked me to stay, it was that the unique business I worked in demanded more than we had staffed. We had a certain standard of things to present and if my managers were working as hard if not harder, I felt obligated to stay by their sides. While my manager said many things I disagreed with, and his point of view was closeminded didn’t mean he was a bad manager─ he was a stressed manager. With stress comes a certain amount of expectation when you are already run ragged yourself. His pride was literally killing his health, he was having all sorts of heart and blood pressure issues. Which is why I worked as hard as I could to help. But at the end of the day, I was overworked for the pay and I knew they were stretching their budget a bit by paying me as much as they were. The problem was that without realizing he was doing it, that money stressed him out and put unrealistic expectations on our small team.
At the time I decided that even though I had only worked there a little less than a year it wasn’t going to be something that I could do long term. I was miserable and depressed.
I’m someone that has never liked to work under others to begin with. I am the sort that likes to lead others, bring them up and teach them what I can so that eventually they can get to a point of accomplishing their dreams and improve their quality of life. I never hire based off of keeping them there forever, no one likes to feel trapped. Some people like to collect a paycheck and just live their lives without outlandish or big dreams. If someone wants to work and go home without stress that’s also a goal of mine to help long-term employees.
So as I began to think this, I got the opportunity to become a partner and run a business. The company had been around as a AC service company for years that sold parts on the side but the previous owners had made many financial mistakes and were dissolving the service side of the company. It sparked something in me and as technically minded as I am, really interested me in what the company could become. We could help homeowners take matters into their own hands and not be taken advantage of by service companies. We could help new technicians really understand how to diagnose instead of try to sell new systems.
I could sell them what they need with our combined knowledge and continue to school myself daily. It’s very satisfying and fulfilling work. I put in my two weeks notice and started this new venture. It was so much work. Especially starting fresh in an industry that combines electrical knowledge, balancing refrigerant line pressures, and mechanical knowledge. Diagnostics are where I shine and the chance to learn so much excited me! I’ve always been a little sad that I was never able to finish out my full degree (med school’s expensive!) but even after my many years struggle I had the hope to help society somehow.
Yeah, yeah. I’m so lame even I throw up in my mouth a little reading those lines. I don’t see this as a weakness, I will pummel anyone that tries to take advantage of me or others with an un-matched ferocity. It’s hard for me to see the good in others which I think has (ironically) got me to where I am in life. And while not all people have good intentions, it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be helped in their time of need.
Bottom line? As cliché as it sounds, sometimes taking a leap is just what you need. Whether it’s allowing someone into your heart, or finding work that resonates with you─ whatever it may be. Place your heart into it and shake those anxious vibes!
Just my thoughts on a Monday morning.
xoxo – Grey
C.A. Greyson 