#58: Camille Baxter: From mass communications exec to voice-over actor: she left her successful job
Despite Camille's impressive resume in mass communications, marketing, and sales, and teaching, she decided to take a leap. She left her job, took a chance, and allowed herself to pursue acting. She discovered a talent and passion for voice-over acting.
When you realize your company's needs and your own needs are diverging, this may be a wake-up call. It's time to look elsewhere.
Take a class in whatever interests you. This allows you to dip your toe in the water.
Camille says she allowed fear to paralyze her and keep her from following her dreams. She shelved her dreams to build a stable and successful career.
Dreams will remain hidden, locked away by thoughts about how you're too old or it's too late, or you're not talented enough.
One day the simple thought, "why not?" may have the power to unlock your dreams.
Identify your fears, name them and acknowledge them. Camille thought, well, I may not get any roles, or I may feel stupid, but why not? She reminds us it's better to try something and fail than always to wonder.
By verbalizing your dream and putting it out there, you'll start to believe in it.
Camille crafted a new path with things she really enjoyed instead of things she had to do. Camille thought about what things made her the most content or gave her the most joy. She asked herself when she felt the most "on" and pursued more of these things.
Sometimes leaving your job is necessary. Look at it as your job deserves someone who's a better fit and better suited for the role. Maybe what they need is not what you're able to give.
As women, we push things aside and focus on "having it all," career, kids, etc. We don't make time for our own dreams. It's hard to find the extra time to find the things we want to do. This is okay for a certain chapter of your life, but eventually, your dreams may come knocking.
You'll be better at your other jobs like mothering if you make time to do things that enrich you.
Give yourself a year or more when you start to feel like things aren't fitting right with your career. It will take time to figure out what drives you and play around with the idea, formulate a plan, and do the introspective work. At first, you may not know what it is you want to do; next, you may just know it's not a good fit anymore.
Talk to other women you admire and ask them how they got to their path. They may ask you probing questions that'll provide you with insight.
Once you're courageous enough to name your interests and desires, you'll find teachers and mentors, and nuggets of wisdom will appear.
