Ann M Craig

How to make  Shopping Lists Your Job

I want to start off by saying I love lists, everything about them making them, figuring out what order to put everything in, that satisfying feeling when you can check something off. Well what does my list look like for today? At the top of my list? Quit my job, yes you read that right. After ten years of being in the pet/ grooming industry I think I have reached my limit for full time grooming. I am both sad and terrified for this new chapter in life. After turning in my resignation notice to my amazingly understanding boss I am on to step two on my list, what the heck am I going to do for income after all I still have bills and need to help provide for my family. My fiance makes a decent amount doing uber and due to the covid 19 outbreak he makes more doing that than he would trying to find any cooking jobs that are available on the market lately. How can I do this almost seemingly impossible task? Well that leads me into making yet another list ( see it never ends fun huh?). Before covid I had started doing Instacart, for those who do not know  Instacart is this wonderful app that allows you to get groceries as well as other household needs by just ordering online. After signing up I was able to start shopping for others, yes you heard that right, I was getting paid to now shop for others. Driving and delivering for instacart and Uber eats will provide the flexibility and income that I would need to  feel comfortable enough about quitting my job. 

There are some downfalls to instacart and working these jobs such as not having a basic W2 and taxes already taken out, phone or app issues at time, though like even with having a typical 9-5 job nothing is perfect. I still felt as if the good out weighted the bad.The first day after leaving my job I still woke up around the same time, mentally I was having a panic attack that I had made a huge mistake and that I should immediately go look for another job. No as I thought to myself, I am now in full control of how much money I can bring in, how many hours I work and what days I work. There was a sense of calm in the rush of emotions, for I have always wanted to become an entrepreneur but was terrified that I could never be enough. This was going to be my first step, I would look to make my millions like seemingly many others before me doing more time freeing type of work to allow me to focus on my family and building my empire. It may seem small to switch from a regular job to just a part time ‘side gig’ but even some fellow instacart shoppers that I have spoken to have made this their career, paid off debt, bought houses and more with the income that they have made. 

Starting over is never easy; sometimes it takes a dramatic change in one's life to step back and reevaluate your life. I had this moment a few weeks ago when I was sitting at my doctors office after hearing the news that I had miscarried my child.The last ten years of my life had flashed before me and asked myself the simple question that everyone was asking, was I ok? In my head I processed it slowly. That word ok? I felt slightly crampy, my emotions were what you would expect saddens, anger at myself, guilt. Since I learned I was pregnant I had this looming feeling that something was off or something that was wrong. I couldn’t explain it to my fiancé after all. I didn’t want him feeling like I didn’t want a child with him. That was not the case, in this moment I had to rethink everything. Was I happy ? I have a great family of three beautiful children,one soon to be step son,and an incredible husband to be, we have a roof over our head, food in our bellies, and yet I wasn’t fulfilled but I didn’t know what I was lacking.

The more and more I thought about it my biggest stress is that as it always has been, money. I make decent money as a full time pet stylist at a small privately owned boarding and grooming facility and I enjoyed my job, but it wasn’t my dream. When I had graduated high school ten years ago everyone asked where do you see yourself in that time, without hesitation I would also say I will be a fashion designer with my own brand that I was sure of. I laugh at thinking about that now, I still sew once and awhile but I feel as if that dream has died. I have always had a passion for business with a million ideas running through my mind at any given moment of my next big venture. I was always taught to go for my dreams but burdened by the fear of being penniless. I came up with the plan of having a stable job until I can save up enough to start my line sooner than I thought that stable job would turn into a career I didn’t intend to have. Don’t get me wrong I loved my job as a groomer. I adored my clients and their owners and it allowed me to meet some amazing people.

This job though as much as I love and cherish it has taken me down a path I did not expect and now almost 30 having me questioning what I have done with my life. There I was with my legs crossed, my mask on as I am waiting to make a follow up appointment thinking something has to change, I had this all planned that I was going to keep grooming til I gave birth and until We had saved up to get a house I finally saw the flaw in my planning and my lists, I was putting my life on hold until I have reach some step that may never happen. No more I said almost brought to tears I am going in afraid, something that stuck with me after reading and listening to Tina Black’s Be series, I have always been terrified to not have a “stable job” a “9-5” so to speak. It wasn’t that I was afraid to not be able to make the money but I guess what others will think. I have always had many sources or income and ways to make money.

Before Covid 19 I had gone part time to focus on my speed dating business that was a flop for the sheer fact of the effort I was putting in. I had decided In this moment of vulnerability that I had nowhere to go but up, this is my restart I need to choose something and stick to it. Since then I have reached out and asked for the help I need more than I have realized I am in the process of trying to find a mentor and life coach. For the last few years I have been listening to podcasts and reading books about powerful successful people that I wanted to be like, and the most disheartening thing is seeing these incredible people have been established they are in their peaks. All the people I aspired to be were close to my end goal and I have been scared to jump in.