In December of 2021, I announced on LinkedIn that I was leaving the credit union I worked at for 18 years to walk boldly toward opportunities I had prayed for. I pressed the “post” button, put my phone back in my purse, and then reflected.
I had spent the majority of two decades as an award-winning performer in my industry, and suddenly, I was walking into the unknown. I was starting new.
I glanced out of the window of my almost empty office and wiped away the tears that seemed to be a constant since I turned in my resignation.
Up until that point, every decision in my occupational life had benefitted my team, my organization, and my community. This decision, after much prayer and counsel, was selfishly made. And sometimes, that’s what we have to do. Sometimes, we have to make decisions that benefit us more than it might everybody around us.
It was not an easy decision. It was something I had to trust my higher power with. I could trust God to help me forge this new path. Lord knows I need Him.
Armed with only my faith, I was finally saying “yes,” and I was terribly scared when doing so.
Saying yes while scared seems to be a hallmark of my ongoing story, and whether I’m speaking with young professionals or seasoned leaders, they get it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard them say, “I’ve been scared too.”
There is a struggle as a young professional to know it all and “have it all together.” We see on social media carefully curated aesthetics, with influencers and leaders posting who seem to know it all and have it all.
It isn’t easy to be vulnerable and admit that we need help, that we struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and that we’re terrified of making a mistake that goes viral and follows us for the rest of our lives.
Yet with our ambitious work ethic, we chase promotions, recognition, and our dreams, seemingly unaware that each next step is another opportunity to say a bigger “yes.”
Yes to the roller coaster living in our stomachs. Yes to the imposter syndrome thoughts of, “What if I can’t do it,” or worse, “What if I fail?”
At the end of the day, if you do fail, you more than likely learn something while doing it. It’s a win-win. We just have to say “yes,” and I invite you all to join me in doing that. Let’s together realize the impact of our “yes.”
For the people who may have outgrown the “young professionals” title, I know you were in our shoes at one point. I invite you to say “yes” to developing those of us who are “next up.”
That’s what initially attracted me to Cadence Bank. It was their international leadership development plan that was willing to take chances on aspiring leaders such as myself.
Cadence demonstrated their “yes” in a big, bold way by developing an Emerging Leaders program throughout the bank’s nine-state footprint. The entire C-suite committed to the value of “creating a great place to work” by intentionally setting forth an effort to develop a strong bench of leaders who are on the verge of doing great things and might just need a little extra push.
So, whether you’re a $50 billion financial institution or the quiet kid from College Park with big dreams, know that your “yes” will impact future generations to come if you just take the chance and say it. Your step in faith will encourage someone who needs your voice, your story, and your bravery.
So, will you join me in saying yes?
Say yes to mentoring a young person in your community. Say yes to taking a stand on issues that affect our coast and our state landscape. Say yes to talking to that person you really don’t want to talk to.
Your “yes” really matters. And at the end of the day, it really isn’t about you. It truly doesn’t matter if you say “yes” and your voice trembles, or if you’re terrified on the inside. Your “yes” is for those who are watching you, who are inspired by your actions, and for those in the world who are “next up.”
The secret is that most people don’t know you’re terrified. They simply will come to believe that you’re not only bold but brave.
What would the world be without saying “yes”? The answer is stale and stagnant, so let’s do our part together to make sure it never gets there.
The “Next Up” column series is a partnership between the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Coast Young Professionals, and SuperTalk Mississippi. The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of SuperTalk Mississippi Media.
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