What Have I Done?

So, check it out. I am currently a recovering corporaholic, who struggled to survive in the cut throat corporate world of business and marketing. While I managed to stay on my feet for several years, I grew quite a dislike for the industry and its players. While I am not perfect myself, I just couldn't get past the people I encountered who were not real. I understand that making money is very important to us all, but I personally cannot abide my life by that rule. To me, money takes a back seat to things such as personal happiness, health, and family. This is why I did not fit in with my colleagues. I did not base my professional life on chasing the dollar. I am not motivated by money...I am motivated by results. This mantra fell on deaf ears long enough for me to know that people are not listening to me, and furthermore, they don't care what my motivation is.

So, I resigned from my high end management position with a guaranteed salary of more than enough for me to live on, and decided to go back to college and try to get a degree in something in the medical field. We all know that the medical field is growing and job security is there. In the meantime, I need to work. I have been off of work for a few months now while trying to decide what my best course of action is, and while I have many talents, there are few jobs that I have done that I actually enjoy very much. So after much thought, and lots of reading, I decided I was going to pursue a job as a server. Again.

I waited tables for a while back when I was a bit younger, and more irresponsible, but I always have maintained that that was my favorite job. The work was not too hard, I really enjoyed working with customers, and of course, there's always the incentive of having money in your pocket every day that you work. I made some really good friends and gained a lot of knowledge in the restaurant management industry. But that was a long time ago. I have since graduated from college and entered the stuffy, dry business world. I wondered if I could even go back to serving, after spending several years telling other people what to do. Could I handle being low on the totem pole again, so to speak? Am I going to be okay with taking direction from younger, albeit more experienced servers than myself? The answer to those and other burning questions in my mind was keep it real. That's all I have to do. I intend to work hard, make an honest living, and try not to get my feathers ruffled by all the different personalities I'll be working with. Granted, you get that everywhere, but in a serving environment you have to learn how to work as a team, whether you like your co worker or not. The ambiance of the restaurant as well as your income depend on it.

Yesterday I had an interview at a family restaurant and was hired immediately. I was so excited that I sent text messages to everyone letting them know I had finally scored a job doing what I want to do. And then a few hours later, panic set in. What am I doing? I have anxiety. I'm going to freak out. I'm too old. I'm too fat. I'm going to get everything wrong and everyone will laugh at me. How could I think I could remember all there is to remember about serving? WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Well, those fears are still in my mind, but I have shoved them down into the recesses of my brain. I will not allow anything to hinder my personal success. I went to orientation today and was relieved that another server was hired and will be going through the process with me, and she is older than me. That soothed me. We talked about our age differences and how excited we were to be going back out onto the front lines again. I really felt like the ball was rolling. And then I was told to come in on Saturday for my first training shift. I am going to be working the morning shift in what is mostly a breakfast place, so I expect to be busy and I am ready to go! I am starting this blog for a few reasons. I really want to document my successes and failures. I expect feedback from others, whether it be negative or positive. I also read several "waiting tables" blogs regularly and they have inspired me to start this. I can't wait to get to work.