Working from Home
Previously, I spent my day as a Medical Secretary for a prominent surgeon -- 17 years to be exact. Although I was truly blessed with wonderful co-workers that became more like sisters through the years, I didn’t love my job. I was good at it for sure, but it felt like work and allowed no room for me to feel like I was being true to myself. When my discontentment with my office job grew, I finally realized that I needed a change. As hard as it would be to leave my “work family,” I felt like I wasn’t practicing what I preached. I have always told my children they could do anything they wanted in life and they should follow their hearts and pursue their dreams, but I wasn’t modeling that. It was time for me to find out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Considering I was approaching 40, it was about time. After many long discussions with my husband and soul searching on my part, I knew that travel, Disney destinations in particular, was where my heart led. Planning our next trip, whether to Walt Disney World or a getaway in the Caribbean, is what I loved to do -- so much so that many family, friends and neighbors would call for advice. Having seen a wonderful company online during one of my late night planning sessions, I pulled up MouseEarVacations.com and read their “All About Us” and “Join Our Team” sections and said …Why Not?! So I sent in an email stating my interest in learning more about the company and asking what a job with them would be like. Well, you know how it ends. After submitting a detailed application, speaking with the owner and now friend, Jami, and a lot more thought, I decided this is where I belong. It didn’t take too long to know I made the right decision. About a year after I began training and slowly building up my business, it was clear I had to make a choice. I left the office job that I had still kept part-time to pursue this amazing career on a full time basis. It wasn’t easy by any means leaving a safe, secure environment with women who had been nothing but caring and supportive through so many stages of my life and a job I could do blindfolded, but I did it! Is it a piece of cake to work for home? Not always. There’s always the phone to answer, another load of wash to do and kids who always need your attention. At times, it can be very hard to balance work and home life. Friends stop by to chat and forget that you’re working, or clients need you just as you start preparing dinner. However, that is also the good side. Having a daughter with a minor medical issue allowed me the security to know that if she wasn’t feeling well and needed to come home, she could. I can easily work in the office while she rests or at night. As a mom, it is a huge benefit to know I don’t have to worry about my kids coming home to an empty house or what would happen if they missed the bus. I have even been known to work in the very early morning hours in a cold ice rink while my son plays hockey. Being an involved and active mom and wife will always be my first priority. Being an agent with CruisingCo.Com and MouseEarVacations.com allows me that flexibility. Of course, there are the perks like taking a cruise to get to know the product or working in your pajamas until noon…oh, but we won’t go there! When people hear that I visit a Disney destination on a regular basis, to be sure I am current with all that is going on, I always seem to get “Oh sure, that’s real hard work!” Truth is, it really is! There is always something new in the industry to learn and explore. As agents, we put in many long hours researching and reading just to be sure we’re on top of our game. But as the saying goes, anything worth doing requires hard work. Funny thing is when you love what you do, it doesn’t seem like work! And the best part is I am working for me! The ultimate reward is the relationships I develop with my clients. I mean it just doesn’t get any better than knowing I’ve been a part of planning a family’s first visit to the Walt Disney World® Resort or a couples’ honeymoon to the Caribbean. I feel that is a huge privilege and I am so grateful for these opportunities. Vacations to me are important in so many ways. My family was of modest means and traveling was a seldom treat. Today I feel that whether a family is on a strict budget or if there is no monetary limit, I want them to have the same experience. Time spent with our family is so rare these days and memories of time together relaxing, having fun and learning about each other are truly priceless. How lucky am I to be a part of that! I love my job!
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It’s amazing the reaction I get when people ask what I do for a living and I answer, “I’m a travel agent.” Most people reply with something like, “Wow, how cool!” or, “Lucky you!” And yes, it is cool and I am lucky! I mean, how many jobs allow you to be a part of a family’s most precious vacation time every day?