What's Your The Backup Plan?

I recently attended a screening of Jennifer Lopez’s new film The Backup Plan.
In the movie, Jennifer plays an ex-corporate 39 year old woman who left
her lucrative tech job because it wasn’t satisfying, launched her
passion project, a high end pet boutique, and without Mr. Right in
sight decides to get artifically inseminated. Within weeks, she’s
pregnant.

Enter Mr. Right.

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Hilarity ensues as this Type A woman tries to navigate the sweet surrender of imperfect, beautiful love, motherhood, and work.

As the closing credits rolled, I couldn’t help thinking: Love is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

And I was reminded of my own journey to happily ever after. A
journey that started with The Big Breakup, led to my exit from
Corporate America, and ultimately landed me 3 book deals, a juicy
coaching practice, and Mr. Right.

For both myself and Jennifer’s character Zoe, our backup plans worked out better than expected.

With the economy being what it is, I know that there hundreds of
thousands of people out there who have been forced to reinvent their
careers and lives due to corporate downsizing. And there are countless
others who have opted to walk away from the money and prestige of
Corporate America to launch a passion project. I went in search of
these extraordinary individuals. And here’s what I discovered…

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Logging Off
Six months ago, my husband and I left a fast paced life in NYC for a
more ‘outdoorsy’ life in small town Colorado.  He left his stressful
but money making job as a sales trader. I kept my PR job and now work
from home. In the beginning, there were a lot of uncertainties, but
ultimately we decided to take the adventure over stability and
security. We took a 2 week road trip across country filled with many
stops and lots of adventures. Life is very different here, and we love
it and have no regrets. We also feel a lot more inspired and motivated
to have more adventures in the future. My husband is now a mortgage
lender and seems to have a fulfilling career in front of him. I hope to
start a garden and maybe even a bee colony in our backyard this summer.
- Casey Corrigan

Bought the Farm
After I raised my sons, I left California and moved 3000 miles away to
Connecticut to live my lifelong dream. I didn’t know anyone or have any
definite plans for work. I just followed a little voice inside me. I
bought a 211 year old farm house and turned it into my sanctuary,
started a sustainable company and don’t put up with any nonsense
anymore. Following my heart/passion/dream has been the best thing I
have ever done, next to my children. I recommend implementing your
backup plan to anyone wholeheartedly!
- Lesley Burton-Dallas