I Got the Job but I Was Not Ready for the Loneliness

Getting my first professional job solved one problem: I finally knew what I was going to do next.What it did not solve was how I would adjust to an unfamiliar career, a new city, and a life without the community I had previously taken for granted.In this follow-up to my story about choosing my next opportunity, I revisit the early days of working as a safety and health specialist in Tallahassee, Florida.Professionally, everything was new. I had my own office, telephone extension, and computer—but I spent much of those first few months reading federal safety regulations and trying to understand an industry I had never experienced.Personally, the transition was even harder. This was 1992, before social media, FaceTime, text-message groups, and affordable long-distance communication. I would leave an office filled with people and return to an apartment with no furniture, very little food, and an answering machine that rarely contained a message.Starting my career was exciting, curious, boring, and deeply lonely—all at the same time. That experience taught me that obtaining an opportunity and becoming comfortable inside it are two very different stages of growth.A new opportunity will not always feel comfortable immediately—and discomfort does not necessarily mean you made the wrong decision.If you are trying to understand where you are professionally, whether it is time to move forward, or what your next chapter might look like, explore the Career Crossroads Collection — Decisions, Doubt, and Owning Your Place:https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/products/career-crossroads-collection-decisions-doubt-and-owning-your-placeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.