Today Is a Great Day To Start a New Life
What I learned from quitting my job.
Hi there!
For 18 years, I worked as an insurance agent.
I never liked insurance—not from day one. It was a career I fell into. An offer to help my insurance agent organize her office led to a nearly two-decade career that offered no fulfillment.
In 2017, I decided it was time for a change. Just because I was an insurance agent didn't mean I had to stay one. I quit my job hoping to pursue writing full time.
Unfortunately, I knew nothing about being a paid writer.
But it was a start, and one I will never regret.
And it reminded me it’s never too late to start a new life.
“The life you have led doesn't need to be the only life you have.”
- Anna Quindlen
Scott Ninneman also publishes the free All Things Bipolar Newsletter (off Substack). The Sunday email features the newest content about bipolar life.
Start Here Today
You have to start somewhere.
Every journey begins with one step, and most first steps feel scary. Maybe even terrifying.
When I walked out of my insurance office the last time, my heart was racing.
“What have you done?” my mind screamed while I sat in the driver’s seat of my car. Looking back, I will never regret that move.
The new thing you need to try may be a different treatment plan. Maybe it means changing meds or finding a therapist. Both can be scary but have amazing results.
Seeing a therapist was one of the best things I ever did for my mental health. Those years on a therapist’s couch taught me how to thrive, no matter my circumstances.
If there’s something you need to start, why not start today?
Looking Back
In the years since I quit my insurance job, my life has changed a lot.
There have been some breathtaking highs, like the first time I was paid for words I wrote. Then there were painful lows, such as when I realized my writing income wasn’t growing fast enough to be my primary income stream.
Every step has been worth the effort. Now, I have a blog with hundreds of posts, content on Medium, Substack, and NewsBreak, and a book releasing on Saturday.
If you're considering making a change in your life, whether it's quitting your job, starting treatment, or moving to a new place, don't let fear hold you back.
Writing has yet to be my sole source of income, but I'm learning more every year. So far in 2024, I’ve already made more from my written content than ever before. I know things will only get better from here.
I feel like I'm finally hitting my groove. Success will come if I stick with it. The same is true for you.
The life you led yesterday doesn't have to be the one of tomorrow.
You can make a change, and any effort will be worth the results.
Just be wise about your new beginning.
It's best not to quit a job while manic (he says from personal experience), but if you've been stable for a while, take a chance. Pursue your dreams and let nothing stand in your way.
Life's too short to waste doing anything you hate. Do what makes you happy, and the rest will fall into place.
Thinking Deeper
Spend some time with your journal and these writing prompts.
Journal Prompt: Which of your dreams stays with you day after day? What step can you take today to move toward fulfilling that goal?
Creative Writing Prompt: You wake up tomorrow and one of your recurring dreams has come true. Write a story about the first day in your new world.
Note: The Speaking Bipolar’s 30 Days of Positivity Book will be available August 3, 2024, and will have digital, paperback, and hardcover editions.
Until next time, keep fighting.
Scott Ninneman
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