Not Willing to Settle

Maybe it is my perfectionism. Maybe it is the overachiever in me. Or maybe I see what others have achieved, which causes me to be envious.

Whatever it is, I have never been one to settle. With a recipe. With running. With the man I chose to marry. In my job. Or anything about in life in general. I am constantly striving to work towards perfectionism—even if it can’t truly be achieved, I will still try to achieve it! I want things that make me happy and feel worthwhile, so I do everything in my power to reach that point.

Growing up, I always said I did not want to be stuck in a job that I didn’t enjoy going to each day. I wanted to be excited about my job, and I wanted to do something I truly enjoyed. I have come to realize that I won’t wake up every morning ecstatic to go to work, but I am not willing to be that person who dreads going to work and gets stuck in a position for the rest of their working life. I’ve seen far too many people in that position, and I have made a conscious effort that I do not want to settle for something like that.

The day before we left for Maui was my last day working for my previous employer (Wells Fargo). It was not a hard decision to decide to put my two weeks notice in. I knew it was not the job for me: sitting at a desk all day, dealing with angry customers, and in a field I had no interest in. It was nice to close that chapter, travel to Hawaii, and then come back, ready to start with my current employer: Skinny Raven Sports.

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Skinny Raven is the local running store in Anchorage. They are the premier running store in town and offer several training groups, social runs, and host a number of running races throughout the year. I am so excited to be a part of the team and do something I am truly passionate about. I know not everyone is able to do what they are interested in, so I am counting my blessings that I am. I am also very grateful for the support of my husband who encouraged me to pursue this job. I look forward to being a running ambassador and helping grow the running community here.

Hi, I'm Michelle

I love running around the lakes of Minnesota, running after my two boys, and racing anything from the 5K to the marathon. I have been blogging here since 2010 when I ran my first marathon. I finally secured my sub-3 hour marathon after trying for 8 years.

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27 Comments

  1. 4.10.14
    Sarah said:

    what fun news, michelle! congrats! πŸ™‚

  2. 4.10.14
    Heather said:

    Oh wow! That is awesome!! You will be perfect for that, plus you get to see all the new gear firsthand! You probably aren’t getting paid as much but I have learned that personal happiness sometimes trumps money if you can make it work.
    One of my most favorite jobs was doing ski patrol, I didn’t get paid very much but I had so much fun and I felt satisfied at the end of the day, and very tired, but I was so eager to get up in the morning and do it all over again.
    I have a hard time working behind a desk too so I don’t blame you!
    Maybe you can also go into being a sales rep for gear and products. You have a lot of running and training experience, perhaps you could expand on that too. Have you thought of coaching or personal training?

    • 4.10.14
      Michelle said:

      I did take another pay cut. :/ Thankfully my husband was okay with this though. I have thought about coaching and am hoping to make it work some day soon! Yeah, who knows what other possibilities this job could lead to!

  3. 4.10.14
    mrbillone said:

    You go Michelle! I’ve been encouraging my daughter from SF to start following your blog. You to are a lot alike. :o)

  4. 4.10.14

    So exciting! Does the store have social runs? I will be in Anchorage Saturday-Tuesday!

    • 4.10.14
      Michelle said:

      Yes, we do! We have a pub run Tuesday evening. Will you still be around? I know they used to do a Sunday morning long run; I’ll have to check with my coworker to see if they still offer it!

  5. 4.10.14

    Love this! I can relate to that feeling. πŸ™‚ Congrats on the new gig!

  6. 4.10.14

    Congratulations! That is wonderful, can’t wait to hear more about it πŸ™‚

  7. 4.10.14

    Nice work! I agree that people should enjoy what they do. Being miserable just isn’t worth the time and your life’s energy, in my opinion. Working on getting into something I am passionate about (nutrition and personal training), but it is a long road. πŸ™‚

  8. 4.10.14
    Karen said:

    You got the job!! Congrats!! πŸ™‚

  9. 4.10.14
    Sarah said:

    Woohoo! That is so awesome!

  10. 4.10.14
    Angela said:

    Congratulations! It’s such a blessing to have a job that really fits you & that you enjoy. πŸ™‚

  11. 4.10.14
    Kelly G said:

    I’m so excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  12. 4.10.14

    Yay! Congrats – this is awesome news! We’ve gone in similar paths since quitting teaching and I wasn’t in love with my first job (after teaching)- but finally found a career that I LOVE. It’s definitely important to explore and not settle. Best of luck in the new job- I hope you love it!

  13. 4.10.14
    Jerome said:

    Welcome To Team Raven, Michelle!

    • 4.11.14
      Michelle said:

      Thanks! And thank you for helping me get there!

  14. 4.10.14
    2 Cups 'N Run said:

    Best of luck! Enjoy! Glad you were able to get out of a place you weren’t happy at.

  15. 4.11.14

    Congratulations on your new job! I’m glad your hamstring is feeling better.

  16. 4.11.14
    Krissie J said:

    Congratulations on the new job!!! I am happy to hear you’re going to be doing something you love and sharing that love with fellow runners! Best of luck to you!! πŸ˜€

  17. 4.12.14
    the dawn said:

    Eeeeeeee! I’m so incredibly psyched for you! Paycut or not, I’m sure you made the right decision. You were not made to sit behind a desk. And now you get to spend your time focused on your love and passion. This is the best news I’ve heard in a long time! So happy that you found your way out of teaching and into something you love.

    • 4.12.14
      Michelle said:

      Aww.. . .thanks so much. I am honestly excited and hope the positiveness continues. πŸ™‚