Administrative Professional's Day

It's Administrative Professional's Day!  Normally, this isn't a holiday that I would even celebrate.  But since I've recently found myself back in that role while helping out at the chiropractic office the past few weeks, I thought that I'd celebrate it one last time.

I never actually celebrated it much in the past.  Even when I was an administrative professional full time, I never really marked the occasion.  One year, my boss gave me a miniature orchid inside of a miniature mug.  It was a sweet gesture and I loved it.  But other than that, the day usually went by without my noticing it.

It's nice to acknowledge how hard administrative professionals work though.  Most of the time, they're the hero behind all of the things up front, and they don't get enough credit.  I know when I was doing it full time, I was juggling being the office manager, front desk receptionist and a chiropractic assistant doing laser treatments.  It was a lot and it's nice to take a minute to celebrate all of my hard work over the years.

In the haze of craziness back in 2017 and 2018 (when I was so busy that I was barely posting anything on here) I actually won an award that was a huge deal.  Each year, the Maine Chiropractic Assistants Association selects someone to be the Chiropractic Assistant of the Year and I got it in 2017.  I never thought I'd ever win it, but when they started reading the letter my boss had sent in, I knew it was for me.  They mentioned the fire when our office building burned down the night before my first day of work and I knew that had to be me.  I mean, what are the chances that someone else would have the exact same thing happen to them?

I briefly remember walking up to receive my award statue in front of all the Chiropractic Assistants and the chiropractors.  (That year, we did the ceremony in front of all the doctors too.)  It was a bit of a haze, but I was really moved and it meant a lot to me.  I never wanted to be a Chiropractic Assistant forever, but this award was truly an honor that I was proud (and a little bit shocked) to receive.  The doctors at our office and our patients were so proud of me too!   And I was proud to display it on my desk at home in my office.  (It's tucked away for now after our squirrel incident.)

I know that I was good at my job.  My Mom is really organized and detail oriented, so I guess that I come by it naturally.  I also know that I could have had a good and long career doing this, but the simple truth is that it wasn't what was in my heart.

At times have I questioned my decision to leave?  Yes; running a business for yourself out of your home can be overwhelming and completely terrifying.  There is something attractive about having a steady paycheck.  And I'll tell you my secret confession, I've toyed around with the idea of going back knowing my replacement wasn't going to be there forever.  I've always had it at the back of my mind ever since I left in 2018.

I can also honestly say it wasn't until I've been helping out these past few months that I finally found the answers that I've been looking for all this time.  Did I miss my job?  Did I miss working with the doctors?  Did I miss the patients?  Would I want to go back?

The short answer to all of those questions, is yes, a part of me missed my old job, working with the doctors and seeing all of our patients.  But after covering for a few days in December and January, I finally felt the answer deep inside of my heart.  While I was there, I was so proud and happy to tell everyone about our businesses.  I felt myself light right up while telling everyone what I was up to these past few years.  And that was my answer all along.  Nothing sparks joy inside me like creating things.  

When my replacement just gave her notice back in mid-March, my boss offered me my old job back, and I considered it for a moment.  But I knew what the answer was and respectfully declined.  This chapter of my life was closing, and I've moved on to fulfill my own dreams and passions while creating things.  I have so much that I want to create... I would never be able to do both jobs and feel genuinely fulfilled.

So today, I'm celebrating all of my hard work through the years.  I'm proud of how hard I worked at the chiropractic office.  I'm proud of how I passed the chiropractic assistant exam on my first try even though I don't have a medical background at all.  (I went to school for interior design.)  I'm proud of how the patients at our office enjoyed having me at the front desk.  I'm proud of how my boss loved having me working in the office so much that she asked me if I wanted my old job back when my replacement left.

And I'm proud that I know myself enough to acknowledge that I don't want to do that anymore... not because I didn't love my job.  Because I really did love it.  But because after some serious thought and soul searching, the simple answer is that isn't my dream.  I considered going back a few days a week on a more permanent basis... but deep down I knew that wouldn't get me any closer to realizing my own dreams.

I know my calling is to create things and that I am a Magic Maker.  Eliot and I are creating new designs for Happily Ever Hatter and Snowblade Creations.  I'm working behind the scenes on a few new products for HEH.  We are in the process of opening our home decor businesses and my clothing business.  We also have a few newer ideas that we'd like to pursue.  I even thought of another business idea just a few weeks ago that I'd like to flesh out, explore and start doing in the next few months. 

As my time helping out at the chiropractic office comes to a close, I'm happy with my decisions and where I'm at.  There have been some moments where I've questioned if I made the right choice in leaving my job to pursue our businesses full time.  It hasn't been easy, but I feel like it's the best choice I could have made for myself and for our businesses.  I've chosen me and my dreams, and I'm so happy that I did.  

While I was (and still am) amazing at being an administrative professional, I know that my heart and soul are in designing, creating and being an entrepreneur.  And I can't do both successfully.  So today, I'm going to celebrate this chapter of my life, how good I was at it, and how it's time to continue moving forward.  

Happy Administrative Professional's Day to all of my fellow rockstars!!!  °o°