4 bold things to do when leaving your job to start your own business #ListerineBOLD

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#ListerineBOLD #CollectiveBias

As several of my readers are aware, I have made a seriously BOLD reinvention of myself in the past 6 months. I shared my story of “Why I quit my job” a while ago, but here’s the long and short of it. A year ago, I was high up on the ladder in Corporate America. Sounds great, right? Well, in addition, my marriage was on the fritz, my children were lucky to get a few hours a week with me, and everything that I loved about “me” was lost. I made the bold decision to take back control of my life and my family and I left my job in order to pursue my blog/business full time. This took some preparation, a change in certain habits, and a series of other bold choices I have had to make daily in order to find the success that I have, including stepping way out of my comfort zone.

If you find yourself in the same (or similar boat), I wanted to share some important tips I’ve learned along the way as far as how to prepare for leaving a job to start your own business, as well as how to adjust to the early growing pains of the process.

4 bold things to do when leaving your job to start your own business

Prepare yourself financially

I’ll start with this one because it’s always on the top of everyone’s minds – how will I support myself financially if I start my own business? I’ll be honest, it was a huge leap for me as well. I went from a very generous salary to an unpredictable and unsteady stream of income. On average, it will take a business owner anywhere from 2 to 5 years to see a real profit, which is very unnerving for many (including myself). While it’s ideal to have your business at a profitable level before pursuing it full time, this was just not realistic for me due to time and energy restraints brought about by my full time job. I made sure to have somewhat of a “nest egg” of a few months of living expenses prior to taking that leap, as well as additional turn-key businesses or low-energy part-time work to pay my immediate bills in the interim.

Take care of yourself both inside and out

When you make the leap to running your own business, the sheer stress of it all makes it easy to take your health for granted. You’ll often find yourself so engrossed in your work and the natural result is to put yourself on the back burner, but be sure to take care of your health – mental, physical, and – the one many of my counterparts take for granted – oral health! Some of the best advice I have been given has been the enforcement of “me time,” to prevent burn out, a minimum of 1 hour a day of physical activity, and proper eating habits are essential to maintaining the total “you.”

Always be prepared to show your best self

You’ve heard this many times in your life – your first impression must always be your best impression. Your confidence, your stance, your smile, and yes, dare I say, YOUR BREATH show the world who you are.  Many of us take for granted the parts of ourselves that you show the world every single day, but let’s be honest, you do not want your most memorable trait when meeting a potential business colleague to be your bad breath. This is one reason Listerine COOL MINT® Antiseptic Mouthwash is my go-to oral care product, as it not only offers 24-hour germ protection (with twice daily use) and reduces 52% more plaque than brushing and flossing alone, but also has the power to kill 99.9% of germs that lead to bad breath, plaque and gum disease (in lab studies). Yes, even the most successful entrepreneurs need to worry about bad breath!

When I’m on the go, the instantly dissolving Listerine POCKETPAKS® do just the trick for me in keeping my breath fresh as they kill 99% of odor-causing bacteria in 30 seconds.  It helps me feel confident knowing that I’m always making the best first impression I can.  

Become comfortable with being uncomfortable

I actually learned this really important lesson years ago from a former boss I really respected. He told us that if we were going to be successful in our careers, we would have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I have taken those words to heart not only in my career, but in my business. When you take the leap to start your own business and be your own boss, most things will be new and uncomfortable. Many things will not be fun. Some things will be downright gruesome…but they are all integral parts of your success.

Embrace them, conquer them, bring out the bold and the awesome in you! In no time, you will be referring back to this post with a warm, fuzzy smile across your face thinking about how you too achieved something you never thought you could!

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LISTERINE® also wants to help you boost your confidence and bring out the bold your life! You can find products in your local Walmart and take advantage of these money saving coupons.  Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter  as they embark on an upcoming Bring out the Bold Tour in your city!

What are some ways you “bring out your bold” in your life and career?