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Quit. (or not)

February 5, 2012 //  by Terra Osterling

Press VillainsI am not a quitter. I’m actually something of a pit-bull when it comes to things like computer trouble-shooting (please, don’t email me for tech support), under-performing processes and problem-solving in general.  I do not let go. Needle in a haystack? Don’t throw away your thread. Lost your wedding band in the snow picking up dog poo? Let me get my mittens (true story). This means a lot of end zone celebration when I finally make a breakthrough, but can also mean a load of anguish when I can’t accept when it’s time to let go. In the immortal wisdom of The Gambler, you got to know when to hold ‘em, but you also got to know when to fold ‘em.

QUIT kwit

Released from obligation, charge, or penalty. To set free. Relieve.

The cultural taboo of being a “quitter” is losing credibility. When the quit is a bad habit, you enter an elite club where you have overcome. Smoking, drinking to excess, eating from a drive-thru — conquer one of these and you prove your inner strength.

Quitting is good!

Even in the juggernaut that is the Chinese economy, well-educated and gainfully employed young people are turning to naked resignation – quitting a job without another lined up – when they become bored or disillusioned (click to read the Christian Science Monitor article from November 2011).

But even this is not “quitting” in the school-yard-derision sense of the word. This is empowerment, self-awareness and fearless resolve at its rawest! It is I-make-my-own-destiny-style thinking!

Cordelia. She Calls It Quits. A lot.

Kelly Gurnett, a.k.a. Cordelia of Cordelia Calls It Quits, has got this down and has pretty much turned pro at quitting. Think you’re the only one yearning to chuck your job and go [insert dream here]? Start a blog about it and the cosmos will unite you with your long lost tribe. Everything Cordelia does is part of her plan to write for a living. She is a master of self-awareness and the Queen of Quit. She takes all her dirty little secrets and lays them out for everyone to see, including herself, and says, “Yeah, I’m quittin’ that.” BOOM.

Self-image issues? Quit.

Allowing imperfection? Done.

Embracing her crazy? You bet. (Really, who doesn’t have something??)

Cordelia is quitting. And yet, she is one busy chick chasing down her dream of writing for a living, with integrity and gusto, if I may say so. I privately think she must have more hours in her day than I do, with all the books/web links/guest blogging/day job/freelance writing jobs/oh yeah, and all the quitting you can read about on her blog. She is one unstoppable quitter.

Cordelian philosophy is uncomplicated:

Cut out the junk that saps your time, energy or money, because there are better things to do with your life.

Start there and living your dream is closer than you think. Cold turkey, or give yourself a dozen chances.  Tomorrow or after you plot your course carefully. Quitting like this is making bold statements to yourself about your life. Be honest about what holds you back, large or small scale, in any context. Own it. Then, quit it.

I blogged last week about finally quitting my job, albeit a bit earlier than originally planned, after concluding simply that it’s time. On the day after my last day, my title will be “Freelance Writer.” Because I’m that kind of quitter.

Be patient and honest with yourself. Don’t give up. You, too, can BE A QUITTER!

Learn quitting from a pro. She of the panda hat. Go visit Cordelia.

Note: text that looks like this is a link. Click it. Broaden your horizon. I put out only the good stuff.

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Category: Business of Freelance Writing, Game-changers, How I got "here", InspirationTag: Change my life, Self-awareness

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Comments

  1. morninglightmama

    February 7, 2012 at 12:07 PM

    I really, really hope to do the same thing one day, and I wish you all the best on your new journey!

    • suddenwriteturn

      February 7, 2012 at 7:40 PM

      Dawn, you are light years ahead of me…as I know you posted this comment from the cabin of a jet after a press junket in LA…! Thank you, my friend!

  2. Cordelia

    February 5, 2012 at 6:25 PM

    BOOM!

    I LOVE your writeup of the Quitterly philosophy! You really have the mentality down: passionate, no-nonsense, heads-on, awesome. You are a Quitter of the truest, bestest sense, and I think it’s fantastic that you’re spreading the word to your readers.

    Hopping on over to check out your job quitting post now. Keep on rocking it like you are! This is wonderful. 🙂

    • suddenwriteturn

      February 6, 2012 at 6:56 PM

      Well, thank you for the wisdom, Ms. Cordelia! I’m so glad you’re pleased with the post, too.

      “Quitting” has a bad name, and I think it helps others to see it in a freeing, positive light. When done out of pure honesty to oneself, an “I quit” can be a beacon of hope.

      Here’s to more quits! BOOM!

Trackbacks

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    August 5, 2012 at 3:55 PM

    […] my un-air conditioned home. This summer has been at least as hot and dry as last summer.  Since I quit my job to freelance full-time earlier this year, this is also the first summer in two decades that I did not have a daily job to […]

  2. Timing: “Man plans; God laughs.” | Sudden Write Turn says:
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    […] At the time, I was in the throes of big-time planning. Six months later, unforeseen events found me realizing that the plans had subverted the goal and I decided that the time had come to take the risk. To quit my job to focus on writing for a living. […]

  3. Adventures in Babysitting: Part-Time Gig | Sudden.Write.Turn. says:
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    […] the center she runs is over the town line, the district cannot bus him there. So when I told her of my plan to quit my job, about three seconds after she said, “Really?” she asked me if I wanted a part-time […]

  4. Interview on “Millennial Mavericks” Series + An Awesome Shout Out | Cordelia Calls It Quits says:
    February 6, 2012 at 9:02 AM

    […] Quit. (or not) […]

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