Content

That moment in life when you feel extremely content with your decisions; begins a feeling of overwhelming happiness.

Content: to be in a state of peaceful happiness. Mid Michigan is where I feel most content.

I lived the city life, experienced Chicago and conquered a dream. Now that dream is just being altered back to my Mid Michigan roots. I knew my potential was greater back home, giving me the determination to make it happen and move back.

I can clearly remember several moments during the early spring months, when I felt content in my decision to move back. After leaving a Cars.com event where I was honored for my hard work and dedication to the company, I still felt as though I wasn’t meant to be in Chicago. Then again, weeks later, as I overlooked the lakeshore, the typical view I dreamed of since high school, the feeling was still there.

That evening, I texted my mom:

“it’s time for me to truly come home.”

What Changed

The spring of 2016 changed the entire course of my personal and professional life. Just 12 months earlier, I was applying to several jobs, but only looking for openings in Chicago. Fast forward to the following spring, I began looking for a professional resume service and constantly searching for a job in the Mid Michigan area. I knew the potential was greater for me in Mid Michigan and I ended up being proven right.

Potential

When you really realize your full potential, you have no doubts. My realization came in January of 2016, a New Year and new vision for the future. Everyone that knows me, knows I am passionate in what I believe.

I have a passion to making a difference in my hometown, no matter where my career may have taken me in Chicago, I would have never lived that passion. Being born and raised in Mid Michigan has shaped this passion for who I am today and I am forever thankful for that.

My faith community is something that I truly missed while I was in Chicago. I was home for the week of Easter and I will never forget the moment during Holy Thursday Mass at St. Dominic’s Parish looking around and realizing this was my faith community I was missing.

Those I have grown up with, those who have supported me and cared for me. Tears come into my eyes. Once again another moment where I knew it was the right decision.

Before I came to feel this contentment, I had all of the negative thoughts, who was going to judge me for moving back to my hometown after contently talking about Chicago, dreading doing the job search over again and would I be able to have fun in Saginaw. The more people I began to talk it over with the easier it became. I was noticing more moments in my everyday life where I knew it was the right decision.

And then I realized none of that matter, this was all for me. Talk about feeling your full potential, it came at this realization and I felt the full potential. I wanted to live out the passion to make a difference in Mid Michigan and you bet, I got into my power pose and determined to make it happen.