Peyton, I Can Relate

Most of you NFL fans out there know by now that Peyton Manning was released by the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday.  (For those of you who don’t follow the NFL, don’t worry, this post is not actually about football.  But click here if you’re interested in the back story.)

It’s not that I feel sorry for the guy, because he is, after all, a superstar professional football player who makes millions of dollars every year (how can you feel sorry for that?), and I’m pretty sure we will see him land on his feet.  But I empathize with Peyton and can relate, at least to his situation anyway.

The situation where he is breaking up with (or being broken up with?) the organization that has been the only career home he’s had during his entire adult life…while at the same time not knowing what comes next.  I relate, because I am facing this situation myself right now.

After a gut-wrenching, soul-searching, shine-a-light-on-all-my-dark-crevasses journey (more on this in later posts), I have decided to part ways with the company who has employed me for the past 8 years.  The company where I cut my teeth as an intern and then worked my ass off to get where I am at today.  The one and only professional home I have known and the place that has defined my entire professional “being.”

Every day of my time with them has certainly not been sunshine and rainbows, but overwhelmingly, it has truly been a GREAT experience – one for which I am very grateful.  And yet, it’s time for me to move on, even without knowing exactly what my tomorrows will bring.

I have known (in my head) for awhile now that this is the direction I’ve been heading, but it’s only been recently – literally within the past week – that I have decided (in my heart) that I am going to quit.  The logistics and timing are still TBD, but the fact remains: I have decided.

And that feels pretty damn good.

Perhaps Peyton shares a similar sentiment.