Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone.

Reminiscing May’s adventures

Whilst soaking up this unusual, but extremely welcome British sunshine on a very busy Bank Holiday weekend, today is the first day that I have had chance to stop and think back about the memories I created in May.

Those of you who read my original post (When Opportunity Knocks, know when to answer the door) will be aware as to how my career took an unexpected turn not too long ago. Well, fast forward 10 months and the motto I preached back then still stands. But this time, I’m going to ramp it up bit!

The Power of the Community

Back at the beginning of my new found career, I connected with a Claris FileMaker Developer from Houston, Texas. Despite the different time zones and the thousands of miles between us, in the space of a few months I gained a lifelong mentor that I will forever be thankful for.

As part of the Women Innovating Together committee, Martha Zink asked me how I would feel about being on a “Women In Tech” panel and talking about my career change alongside three other established women in the industry at Pause On Error, New Orleans, Louisiana. I was scared, I was nervous, I was everything you could ever imagine. But something in the back of my mind made me respond “Sure, yes ok!” Before reality kicked in.

I had sleepless nights in the run up to my Louisiana trip, my stomach doing front flips, constantly asking myself why would anyone be interested in what I had to say. However, attending Pause On Error was one of the best decisions of my life to date. I started out barely knowing anyone but left with an abundance of new connections — each with their own niche interests and skills. I took away more than you could ever imagine, not just in development skills, but personal qualities I had forgotten about or that had been pushed to one side over the years as I stumbled my way through roles that weren’t for me.

Claris has such a powerful community that welcomes you with open arms, you can quickly gain the self-assurance you need to put yourself out there and be the best version of yourself. During my time in the States I was forced out of my comfort zone and front flipped into the unknown. All the while, my confidence excelled, my aspirations amplified and my ambition is the driving force of my future.

So, say yes to something that terrifies you. You never know the experience it may bring.