Why I’m Leaving My Full Time Job to be a Wedding Photographer

 

Hey friends! Happy Bridal Banter day!

Today on the Banter, I thought I’d open up with you guys and share whats been going on in our lives. Whats happening, upcoming changes, and a little bit my heart.

As some of you know, I have been working a full time job at Costco’s Call Center in Yakima for about 4 long years. Even though Costco has been great to me with awesome benefits, helping me pay off my student loans, funding my passion with photography, and introducing me to my now husband, this job at the call center has really darkened my heart.

I’ve just been feeling overworked, stressed beyond belief, and so exhausted. I’ve been finding myself too tired to pour all my creativity into my work as a photographer and to me, I think my level of creativity has suffered. I’ve always tried my best to capture, work, and edit wonderful sessions, but there was just a part of me that needed to do something to be able to be who I was meant to me; a creative.

For 8 hours a day, I’m at work staring at a computer screen reading complaints from people all around the country. Then, I come home and edit a wedding, or family session for about 4 more hours. After a wedding over the weekend, I’m just on this ‘high’ and I feel so happy about the work I did, but then I get to work on Monday and my heart just drops. From a ‘cloud 9’ feeling to a dark dungeon; it just got too much to handle.

So, after many years of getting the courage and guts, I put in my notice at Costco. The amount of relief, joy, and happiness was so big, I could feel my heart getting excited again. After 4 years of being exhausted, stressed, and a tad depressed, my heart fluttered. I broke free of the darkness and am running toward my dreams.

On the same day I put in my notice, there was a job opening at a local market that is opening in June. I decided to apply, thinking I can have this part time job during the week (with very limited hours) and focus more on my photography. I got an interview and then I got the job a few days later!! I am so stoked to be working there, serving coffee and gelato, while also having afternoons free to edit, shoot, and pour my passion into my business.

My husband and I are so fortunate to be able to have me make this big change, and we are so grateful for all my amazing clients who love my work and all our friends who have encouraged me to make this transition.

One thing I have noticed thats been on my mind lately, when I tell my coworkers that I am leaving Costco for good and am pursuing my passion as a wedding photographer, I get a lot of mean responses. I was told that these people who react negatively are very self-centered and are jealous of my decision. They wish they could do what they love and therefore treat me differently. It’s really sad and I hope more people just were happy for other people. It’s interesting how people react to certain changes, so this has definitely been an eye opener for me. But overall, that has been the only negative part of this life change.

So there you have it! I am leaving my full time job to be a wedding photographer and my last day at Costco will be May 31st. I am SO stoked for this next chapter in our lives and I hope you all follow along. 🙂

Thanks for joining me this week on SJ’s Bridal Banter and if you’re stuck at your full time job and husstling your booty off outside of work to make your dream a reality, I’d love to chat with you and encourage you! I know the pain and the struggles, and we all have to stick together!

Happy Wednesday, friends!