Quantcast
Ask Ayana Iman: Should I Take A Leap Of Faith In My Career Or Stay In My Comfort Zone?
Boss Up - Home Page

Ask Ayana Iman: Should I Take A Leap Of Faith In My Career Or Stay In My Comfort Zone?

Ask Ayana Iman is a bi-monthly advice column where real women anonymously submit their questions about work, life, and love. In response, certified life coach Ayana Iman drops some much-needed gems. Check out this newest segment below.


Dear Ayana Iman: I have been a teacher for the last six years and I'm not in a place where I want to try my plan A again in order to pursue my career. I recently got married and my husband supports my dream to write sitcoms/movie scripts. I even taught for a year in South Korea while getting my Master's degree. I am no longer happy with my job and truly worn out but I'm really good at my job.

Everyone else seems to think it's "my calling" but I genuinely do not feel this way about my career. I have recently experienced several close family members pass away and it always makes me question how I want to be remembered and how important it is to really live your life and follow your dreams. Should I take the leap of faith with becoming a writer or stay in my comfort zone with teaching? Please help. Thanks.

"Everyone else seems to think it's my calling…" What do you think is your calling? That's most important. From your own education to years on the job, you seem like a very ambitious woman who has been dedicated to becoming the best teacher possible. That itch you're feeling shouldn't be ignored. Having a major loss in your life is one of the biggest determinants for a career change. Time is precious, as I'm sure you've come to know. You now have several reasons to take a leap of faith.

The next leg of your journey does not have to be a painful departure from the present. Before quitting, make sure you have maximized all opportunities at your current job, most notably, taking a sabbatical. A sabbatical is a period of paid or (most likely) unpaid leave granted to a worker for study, travel, or restoring their health, traditionally for six months to one year. This time could be used to fully focus on your writing and building relationships without losing your salary. The beauty about being a teacher is that you have the summers off, which is an additional 2-3 months of uninterrupted bliss. Plan your sabbatical to coincide with your summer vacation to truly maximize your experience.

While the appeal of having your husband financially support your dreams is strong, I believe you would be better served by keeping your independence. As newlyweds, this shift in your career and finances could change your relationship, for better or for worse. You must find additional streams of revenue to offset your personal costs to limit any potential ambiguity. Some valid options include:

  • Pitching to news outlets for writing opportunities. Writing frequently will strengthen your skill set, and the byline of a school teacher choosing to live her dreams makes for great branding.
  • Teaching at your local community college or university as an adjunct professor will give you a stable income and flexible schedule.

These suggestions aren't to deter you from receiving help from your husband. I'm sure he's a perfectly good guy that is more than capable of taking care of his woman but not without a conversation about expectations. The life of a writer is not traditional and inspiration is needed to produce that award-winning script. Will he support you through writing blocks, extended quiet time on your laptop, and days less productive than others? This is that transformative moment to work out your kinks, starting with your goals and ending with your fears, so that as partners, you are committed to seeing it through.

I hope you choose to take a leap of faith and invest in yourself. You cannot spend your days pouring into your students and letting them know the possibilities of life when you aren't accepting of this truth. I'm rooting for you.

Featured image by Getty Images.

Do you have a question about love, life, career, wellness, etc. that you'd like for life coach Ayana to answer in a future Ask Ayana Iman segment? Submit your questions here for a chance to have your question answered! Click here for past Ask Ayana Iman posts to see if your question has already been answered or to read past stories/advice!

ALSO ON XONECOLE
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next

Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.

Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.

KEEP READINGShow less
From Cardi B To Mary J. Blige, Meet The Woman Behind Your Favorite Celebrity's Glam Team

What would you do if you just got laid off from your corporate job and you had a serendipitous encounter with someone who gave you the opportunity of a lifetime? Tamara Taylor was faced with that decision in 2013 after she was let go from her sales profit and operations coach job in the restaurant industry and met a then-up-and-coming stylist, Law Roach, on a flight to L.A. She and Roach struck up a conversation, and he shared how he was looking for someone to run his business and was impressed by her skills. While she took his business card, she was unsure if it would lead to anything. But, boy, was she wrong. Two weeks later, after packing up her home to move back to her hometown of Chicago, she called Roach; he asked if they could meet the following day, and the rest is herstory.

KEEP READINGShow less
LATEST POSTS