Changes. . .

I know I've been pretty negligent over here since the turn of 2015 and recently I've been even more quiet than usual. This was due to a pretty major transition in my life. I left my job recently and started a new one in a totally different industry/environment. Read on to see what's going on and how I've been feeling about it all!

Three weeks ago, I handed in my Toys R Us ID badge to my boss and cried a little as I hugged him and my team goodbye. I made the difficult and slightly scary decision to leave corporate America in favor of following my passion and returning home to The Fig Leaf boutique in Maywood NJ, where I worked throughout high school and college. The Fig Leaf offers women's apparel and accessories with a Prom/Evening wear specialty and my decision to return to this store was the product of many months of pondering my career path while also acknowledging my desire to return to women's fashion.

After 6 years at the store, I chose to leave (in 2011) in favor of working in Manhattan at the Hanky Panky headquarters and I then made the move back to NJ to work at Toys R Us corporate where I stayed for just under 3 years. While I absolutely ADORED my boss, team, and coworkers, I just wasn't convinced that I had found my niche. When my old/new boss contacted me to work on Saturdays in the store, I jumped at the chance and found myself really enjoying working and didn't mind working 40+ hours at TRU and then another 5-6 on Saturdays at the store.

After helping out on Saturdays for about 6 weeks, my boss broke her femur in a freak dance class fall and found herself unable to walk unassisted after emergency surgery and the timing presented itself for her to reach out to me to come back to the store full time as the manager. I found myself in a classic situation of "what is right for you will come to you". When I got that call and we started talking, I was already imagining myself in the store said yes the very next day.

Now, I can triumphantly say that I've completed 2 weeks of work, where I put in more time and effort than I have in any other position and I still LOVE IT! There were definitely some difficult moments, customers can be psychotic emotional at times, but I am certain that I've made the right decision and I feel completely renewed by it. Office hours at TRU were 8:30am-5:30pm and I would often find myself at work past 6 (my own doing, not that of my boss) while the boutique is open from 10-6 most days (10-7 on Th and 10-5 on Sat), which means I'm leaving home at about 9:15 and in the store by 9:30, which has made a HUGE difference in my mornings.

I've been trying to wake up around the same time that I used to (6:30/7am) and I've been able to do dishes, make the bed, take longer pup walks, stop at CVS, and even hit up my fave organic cafe for fresh juice all before starting my work day! Now that two weeks have been written in the books, my goal is to incorporate yoga and/or running into my pre-work routine, so stay tuned for an update on that.

In the mean time, please stop by and say "Hi" at The Fig Leaf Boutique in Maywood (98 w Pleasant St), I'd love to see you and help style you for any upcoming events you may have!