THE POWER OF SMALL STEPS
It was 3 in the afternoon. I was still in bed. I had not gotten up yet.
I remember lying there considering if it was worth getting up. After all, I was relatively comfortable if not a little cramped in my tiny twin bed with my feet hanging off the edge. The day was already gone anyway. What was the point in getting up?
It was February 2021. I graduated college with my bachelors degree last May 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic. My graduation ceremony consisted of a somewhat sloppy video from my college with a few guest speakers. I was at my parents’ house without any friends.
From there, everything went downhill. I quit my unfulfilling and mind-numbing insurance job and barely gave two weeks notice. I job hunted with absolutely zero success and moved out mid-summer. I rented a tiny old studio apartment with no air conditioning and lived near sketchy neighbors who probably sold drugs. I languished in this prison for months and applied for dozens of jobs. I had several interviews but no success. One in particular strung me along for weeks and was so demoralizing that I nearly gave up hope. September bled into November which became January. Suddenly it was February and nothing had changed. It had been 10 months since I had held a job. 10 months of zero income. I was financially riding on fumes and nearly out of savings.
I could have stayed in bed and slept the day away. Wasted the time like I mostly had for the past 10 months. But, I was sick of it. Sick of being broke. Sick of being unemployed. Completely sick of having nothing to do.
I recall kicking off the covers and jumping down from my loft bed. The covers spiraled down and landed in a heap as I hit the ground. I put my glasses on and went to work. No food and I did not even brush my teeth. I applied for five jobs that day. More than I had for the past month.
I was hired for one of those jobs. It was a sales and stock position at a local Menards (home improvement store). It does not sound like much but it got me out of my apartment, being productive, and making some income. I moved back to Madison, WI that summer using the income I had earned and soon found myself subbing daily at a local high school. I then went back to school and earned a master’s degree. I found a teaching position soon after and now work multiple part-time jobs, making more money than I ever have. I am the happiest that I have been in years.
The rest of my life onward from February 2021 happened because I took a small step. A brief jump down if we are getting technical. I chose to act and to honestly try. And it made all the difference.
*image from: https://aerialdancepoleexercise.com/small-steps/
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