My first voiceover job was in 2007 - and it feels like a lifetime ago! More than 15 years, one fundraising career, and a lot of formative life experiences later, I made the decision to bring my voiceover “side hustle” to the forefront as my full-time professional pursuit in 2023. All of my eggs, please meet this one basket. Yikes.
Fortunately, there were many small steps along the way that helped make this an easy “yes” for me. I put a lot of effort into organizing the individual bricks that laid the path into this industry and when the time came to transition fully, it felt like a no-brainer. Before crossing the threshold however, there were a few lingering weights I had to put down first.
My Fear & Insecurity: I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty that the worst decisions of my life have been made from a place of fear and insecurity. I knew going into this journey, I had to navigate confidently with a strong core of self-esteem and belief in myself. I kind of struggled with this to be honest, until I accepted that all of my lived experience up until this point - all my failures and successes, mistakes and strokes of genius - have given me precisely what I need to flourish in this time of my life. I have everything I need to be successful today and I do not need to hold on to fear.
The “Perfect” Timing: Going full-time was a big decision - one that impacted not just me, but people who count on me. In my earliest inklings of, “hey, I could really do this,” there was another, sharper voice right behind it saying, “but you should really wait for this to happen first.” I appreciated this voice. I did need to plan for certain contingencies. There were important questions that needed to be answered, but I found myself spending far too long in analysis paralysis until I introduced a key element - adventure. I learned to embrace the unknown. After all, not every storm can be predicted, but you’ll never know what treasures you’ll find unless you leave the harbor.
Excuses: Probably the hardest part about going full-time was working for my new boss - she runs a tight ship! When I opened up shop, I knew I would be wholly responsible for my business. I would be in control of how I managed (or didn’t manage) my time. I’d be accountable. It’s so easy to consider the many reasons why something is or isn’t working, but it can be harder to pinpoint which of those reasons I have any influence over. I discovered that by fixating on the uncontrollables, I was turning them into excuses and getting stuck in a “why me?” quagmire. It’s not a very fun place to be stuck, so I try to practice letting go of those things quickly and decisively.
Bottom Line: We all come to every decision carrying baggage. Some of it weighs heavier than the rest and can prevent us from making any decision at all. The ongoing process of self-reflection brings to light the things that hold us back. I think it’s time well spent examining our own “stuff,” identifying what is no longer serving us, and letting go so we can move forward with confidence and joy.