From $2M Corporate Deals to $10K in Glass Vases: The 8-Year Strategy for De-Risking Your Career Pivot
In this case study and episode breakdown, Career Decision Coach Gloria Julien (ex-mechanical engineer) sits down with Jennifer Johnson, an industrial engineer and 35-year corporate veteran who transitioned from medical marketing to founding The Plant Place in New Jersey. They deconstruct how high-achieving, analytical overthinkers can safely execute a major career pivot using an 8-year deliberate design timeline—moving from high-stress corporate salary to entrepreneurial fulfillment without making reckless overnight leaps
The Breaking Point: Delivering a Presentation from a Hospital Bed
What does it take for an analytical, high-achieving professional to realize their corporate operating system has hit a critical failure threshold?
For Jennifer Johnson—an industrial engineer who spent 35 years navigating high-stress corporate environments, ending her corporate career in medical marketing—the system alert came from a hospital bed.
While admitted for physical health issues, her workplace called. They told her she was the only person who could explain a complex scientific presentation to a client. Lying in her hospital room, she delivered the deck.
"Afterwards I'm like, 'What did I just do? They're gonna forget tomorrow that I did this.' I was doing this for my physical health, and that's when the switch went off. I'm like, 'That's it. I've got to do it.'"
— Jennifer Johnson
If you are an overthinker stuck in career ambivalence, you might be waiting for a similar breaking point to justify making a move. But as career decision coach Gloria Julien notes, your hesitation isn't a lack of courage—it is a highly sophisticated risk assessment masquerading as data collection.
Rather than making a reckless overnight leap, Jennifer treated her corporate exit as a deliberate engineering problem. She executed an 8-year design process to build The Plant Place, an art and plant studio based in New Jersey.
Deconstructing the 8-Year Optimization Timeline (5 + 2 + 1)
When people think about career transitions, they often imagine a sudden, heroic jump off a cliff. For logical minds who live and die by spreadsheets, that narrative feels irresponsible—and rightly so.
Jennifer’s transition proves that you can de-risk a major career pivot by staging it over time:
1. The 5-Year "Slow Burn" (Research & Ideation)
For five years while working full-time in medical marketing, Jennifer allowed the concept to germinate. Inspired by a plant-art studio her daughter visited, she began asking low-risk, curiosity-driven questions: What if we could do this? What would it look like? Where would it go? During this phase, her family’s real estate situation shifted, making a commercial building space available for her future studio.
2. The 2-Year Systemic Planning Phase
As an industrial engineer, Jennifer built "spreadsheets upon spreadsheets." She researched supply chains, cost structures, and international shipping terms (navigating jargon like DDP and DDW). She modeled staffing schedules for a six-day workweek, mapped out 401(k) allocations, and planned for a reality where most small businesses do not turn a profit for 2 to 5 years.
3. The 1-Year Physical Execution Phase
The final year was dedicated to physical renovation, ordering inventory, and formally separating from her corporate job to focus 100% on the studio.
Taking time to analyze your options isn't procrastination—it's systematic risk mitigation.
Moving From Spreadsheets to "Skin in the Game"
There is a trap common among analytical thinkers: the infinite research loop. You can analyze shipping terms, financial projections, and competitor models forever. But at some point, data collection must yield to commitment.
For Jennifer, the shift from research to real-world execution happened in a single moment: pressing the order button on a $10,000 shipment of custom glass vases from China.
"The toughest thing to do is pressing that order for that first glass... I did an order in China for ten thousand dollars of glass. Pressing that button is like, 'Okay, I'm doing it.' Talk about skin in the game at that point."
— Jennifer Johnson
In Gloria's 4C Framework (Claim, Clear, Choose, Commit), this represents the move from Choose (testing and exploring hypotheses) to Commit (landing the plane). Overthinking keeps you safe in the theoretical realm, but real momentum only begins when you put tangible skin in the game.
The Financial Accounting of Leaving Corporate Life
When evaluating the risk of transitioning from a high corporate salary to zero, most professionals calculate the loss of income without factoring in the hidden tax of corporate survival.
During their conversation, Gloria and Jennifer broke down the true financial math of a career pivot:
1. The Burnout Overhead Drops
Corporate jobs carry hidden lifestyle costs: daily ferry or train tickets, expensive professional wardrobes, convenience spending, and stress-relief purchases. When you exit that environment, your personal operating expenses decrease significantly. As Jennifer discovered, "You need a lot less than when you're working for someone... Your whole lifestyle feels more relaxed."
2. Managing High-Stakes Variables
Dropping a salary to zero requires clear contingency planning (Plan B and Plan C). When health insurance costs spiked unexpectedly in Year 1, Jennifer faced a potential crisis. Because she stayed open to options rather than panicking, a solution emerged when her husband landed a role with full health coverage. Staying in motion generates solutions that spreadsheets cannot predict.
3. Outsourcing What You Don't Joyfully Do
Being analytical doesn't mean you have to do everything yourself. While Jennifer loved systems, she hated accounting: "Accounting and me? Nada. I pay someone to do that. It's just not my forte." Strategic pivoting means identifying your strengths and delegating the rest.
The Identity Dividend: "I Like Myself Better"
In corporate life, ROI is calculated in multi-million-dollar project deals and title advancements. But what is the yield on your personal balance sheet?
When comparing her past career selling $2 million pharmaceutical marketing projects with her current reality running The Plant Place, Jennifer highlighted a shift in metrics.
"Having little Daisy Scouts hug your leg and say, 'I had a great time learning how to plant'—it's way better than selling any two-million-dollar project in my old life. Way better... The response I got out of my own self was, 'I like myself better.'"
— Jennifer Johnson
When you decouple your self-worth from a corporate title, you stop spending energy trying to prove your value to a system that will forget your efforts tomorrow.
Jennifer’s Rule for Overthinkers: "Never Say Never"
For high achievers sitting in the "messy middle" of a career decision, Jennifer offers a simple, powerful rule:
Stop drawing hard lines in your mind.
"I live in the soul of 'never say never.' Every time I said, 'I would never do this' or 'it could never happen,' it always happens. Don't put that roadblock out there of saying there's a hard line. There's always a way go around it, go over it, or through it. It never turns out to be the way you envisioned it, but it could be better.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a strategic career pivot usually take?
While every career transition is different, complex pivots for mid-career professionals often unfold over 1 to 5 years. As shown in Jennifer Johnson's 8-year case study, breaking a pivot into distinct phases—5 years of ideation, 2 years of systemic planning, and 1 year of physical execution—allows analytical thinkers to de-risk their transition without taking reckless financial leaps.
How do analytical overthinkers overcome decision paralysis?
Analytical thinkers overcome decision paralysis by shifting from passive data collection to active, low-risk micro-experiments ("pretotyping"). Instead of seeking $100\%$ certainty before taking action, they establish clear risk boundaries, test hypotheses in real-world scenarios, and set tangible commitment thresholds (like placing an initial inventory order or booking a coaching consult).
What is Gloria Julien’s 4C Framework for career decision-making?
Created by ex-mechanical engineer and career decision coach Gloria Julien, the 4C Framework is a structured methodology for career pivots:
Claim: Decouple your true identity from corporate titles and inherited expectations.
Clear: Remove root-cause friction like imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and guilt.
Choose: Run low-risk micro-experiments to gather real-world data on potential paths.
Commit: Land the plane by executing a bound decision and building self-trust through action.
Ready to Stop Researching and Start Designing?
If you are trapped in an infinite loop of spreadsheets, pros-and-cons lists, and "what-if" scenarios, remember: you cannot solve a design problem with more data. You need a structured execution framework.
Joy by Design is Gloria Julien’s signature group coaching program, built specifically for mid-career overthinkers who are ready to move from career ambivalence to clear, confident execution.
👉 Apply for Joy by Design at GloriaJulien.com and take the first calculated step toward your own life unbounded.
Looking for a fun, family activity in New Jersey?
Interested in air plants, cacti, or succulents?
Check out: theplantplaceusa.com
Want to hear the full conversation?
This post is based on my conversation with Jennifer Johnson on Your Life Unbounded. Listen to the whole thing wherever you get your podcasts:
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Jennifer Johnson (00:00)
I had to do a presentation for work when I was in the hospital. And that was that was what
Gloria (00:05)
What?
Jennifer Johnson (00:06)
afterwards I'm like, what did I just do? they're gonna forget tomorrow that I did this. I was doing this for my physical health that's when I really like the switch went off. I I've got to do it.
Gloria Julien (00:15)
Welcome to Your Life Unbounded. I'm Gloria Julien an ex-mechanical engineer turned career decision coach, and I landed here after two major career pivots. Today I help high achieving professionals break through decision paralysis and claim the career direction that they've always wanted. If you're currently stuck and overthinking your next move, I want you to know that your hesitation isn't a lack of courage. It is a highly sophisticated risk assessment.
Masquerading as data. So I created this podcast to share the real messy middle of career transitions and what I've learned throughout this journey. We're going to take a look at the data together and build the strategy so you can commit to the first move towards your own life unbounded.
Today's conversation is a look at what happens when the exact risk assessment takes place over a long-term high-stakes career pivot. My guest today is Jennifer Johnson. Jennifer spent 35 years navigating high-stress corporate environments, ending her career in medical marketing. but by trade,
Jennifer is an industrial engineer, someone who lived and died by spreadsheets, when her corporate operating system hit a critical threshold, resulting in the exact hospital bed presentation you heard at the top of this episode. She knew she had to change her trajectory, but she didn't make a reckless overnight leap. Instead, she executed a deliberate eight-year design process to build the plant place, an art and plant studio based in New Jersey.
Her transition took five years of deep research, two years of systemic planning, and a full year of physical execution. In this episode, we break down the real variables of a major pivot, transitioning from a high corporate salary to zero, navigating health insurance, logistics, and learning to trust your own capability.
Let's look at the data and see what it takes to build a life unbounded.
Gloria (02:18)
Hi Jennifer, welcome to your life unbounded. I'm I'm very grateful that you are on our podcast.
Jennifer Johnson (02:26)
Thanks so much for having me.
Gloria (02:28)
Absolutely. So I really wanted to talk to you about what your career transition really looks like. in particular this this point that you had made which was that took you five years to make the decision, two more years of research planning and et cetera, and then another year to actually build it.
And the reason I wanted to point that out is because I I think sometimes when we think about career transitions, it's like, I'll just do it the next day. And here you are having a total of eight years of a pivot that you are going through. So can you tell our listeners like where were you before? What happened during those eight years? And how did you start the plant place today?
Jennifer Johnson (03:12)
Yeah. I would say corporate life for thirty five years in three different careers. The last one being in medical communications or medical marketing, which is basically teaching doctors about new drugs. And very, very stressful, very, very scientific. and so I just I just felt like a lot was coming out of me and not getting back to me, from whether the
work I was doing or the company that I was working for. And so I I just say. And then my daughter, my oldest daughter, they always said you should always, you know, start to start your own business or looking into doing something else that makes you happy. And so she had gone to a place that had was basically making making art with plants.
very different than what I do now. But kind of got the idea in my head. You know what I mean? I like plants, I like crafts, you know, maybe there's something there. I've always wanted to teach. so that's something I've always wanted to do. the idea kind of just started. Like the what ifs, what if we could do this? how would it look like? where would it go? And so
That's kind of saying like the slow burn of the five years of making it happen. And then there's just other things that I just think, you know, fate happened. my we owned a building that my had my husband's business in it, and for different reasons he couldn't do that business anymore. So that business became free and open. So that kind of ticked the box of like, okay, where am I gonna have this business?
Gloria (04:33)
Okay,
Jennifer Johnson (04:35)
basically a planned studio. I
think that's that that took a lot of the time of planning that. What does it look like? What materials are we gonna use? You
Gloria (04:44)
So
Jennifer Johnson (04:44)
so. I want to have a certain vibe to it too. So like how does that all work? I had a ton of friends help me out. My friend Masha's painting and helped me lay out everything. But I think you asked the question of like what was the like the catalyst that find, okay, I'm I'm I'm gonna do this seriously.
I had to do a presentation for work when I was in the hospital. And that was that was what
Gloria (05:07)
What?
Jennifer Johnson (05:07)
afterwards I'm like, what did I just do? they're gonna forget tomorrow that I did this. and I was doing this for my physical health and health. And I'm like, that's it. And that's when I really like the switch went off. I I've got to do it. And
I think the toughest thing to do is is pressing that order of that first glass because I have glass faces, that's what I have. So I did a order in China for ten thousand dollars with a glass. That was my my god.
Gloria (05:30)
Whoa.
Jennifer Johnson (05:31)
And pressing that button is like, Okay, I'm doing it. And yeah, really thing. So
Gloria (05:35)
That's the real thing. Yeah.
Talk about skin in the game at that point.
Jennifer Johnson (05:41)
Yeah.
I it's like it's gotta happen now. So and then Yeah.
Gloria (05:44)
Okay, but first of all, like
you were in the hospital and you need to give it a presentation
Jennifer Johnson (05:49)
Yeah. Yeah.
Gloria (05:53)
that you couldn't say, Hey, I can I use a sick day.
Jennifer Johnson (05:58)
They knew I
was in there. they said I was the only one that could explain it and all this stuff. I'm like, whatever. It was ridiculous, you know. to. So you had to do what the client wanted and what expected.
Gloria (06:10)
was it a long time coming like before you got to that point when you were in the hospital doing a presentation? was it building up to that point, like
Jennifer Johnson (06:19)
Yeah, lots and lots
of research though like, okay, where am I gonna get my products? How much did they cost? I mean, I had spreadsheets upon spreadsheets, like how okay, so if I brought on somebody, you know, to help me because I I mean I wanted to be open almost six days a week.
there's just a lot of different like aspects that I wasn't even aware of at the time.
And really I think I think also setting aside as you really have to sit down how much are you willing willing to bet?
Thankfully for a you long time and had a sizable 401k, but that's what we use. Do you know what I mean? That's a huge risk. you have to put down a huge spreadsheet to what what value you're putting in to to what you what you're going for and what you can you expect in the first year. I
I know very few people that
Gloria (07:05)
Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (07:06)
none of them made any money till at least two and a half, maybe three years. Most were s five years before they actually like were making money. I've made a very good salary before and and getting that to zero.
is a bit of a shocker,
Health insurance was a huge concern of ours. yeah, I think you kind of have to do your research, but then have but have like keep keep your dream kind of path going. it's I felt like everything was building toward it, not taking you down. Do you if I want to say that
Gloria (07:37)
Mm-hmm.
Jennifer Johnson (07:37)
it was it was more of like
Okay, I can do this, like learning how the shipping works. Because they in they use all these terms, D D P, D D W. I'm like, what does that mean? You know, what am I buying? It's it it was tough, but it was I thought I was finally learning something. I was growing something that was mine and
Gloria (07:57)
Yes.
Jennifer Johnson (07:57)
not somebody else's.
Gloria (08:00)
Yes.
Jennifer Johnson (08:01)
And I
think that was a fuel because at the end you always can remember that. You're you're doing all this, all this work for you, not
Gloria (08:09)
Yes.
Jennifer Johnson (08:09)
not for not for someone else. And I think out of all the things that you have to keep that in your back of your head and keep reminding yourself and when you say, my, I can't do this, or is this gonna be too much I was working, still working.
you know, full time while trying to do this. Maybe that's why it took so long to happen until the, you know, that one time, you know, sitting there going, what am I doing? but you know, just it was such a relief when I actually separated and s did not do the other job, the my the old job, and just concentrated fully. It was like such a weight off. It was just the feeling of everything I can do.
Yes, I was making all decisions and yes, it was a lot, but the the response I got out of my own self I got like I like myself better. I I really like what I did.
Gloria (08:59)
Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (09:00)
I like what I did. I love seeing people's faces when they make something, you know, when they start with an empty glass face and the end they have this cute mini garden doing with they just
And the faces light up. I've never had one customer be upset or not like what they that they made. And and they've just been working with the different people from like three year olds to 99, all different types. I it's just been so much so w more rewarding. I mean, having little daisy scouts hug your leg and saying, I had a great time learning how to plant.
it's way better than selling any two million dollar project, you know, in my old life. Way better. So
Gloria (09:46)
And
and doing the presentation from the hospital bed.
Jennifer Johnson (09:48)
Yeah,
my god, yes.
Gloria (09:51)
you like doing your research for that amount of time. But the one thing that I like that stuck out to me with all of that was that you said, I like myself better. And I can totally relate to that. When I quit my job, I was like, I like this so much better. Ditto on the
feeling so much more fulfilled when you're helping people in the way that feels aligned with you. Like, yeah, you you like yourself better. And yeah, it's it's it is a lot of responsibility, but it's yours, yours to own. I think that's why I like entrepreneurship because I honestly, I think I was a terrible employee.
And I think now that I'm out of that day job culture and get to actually control things. Yeah, I'm not making the same as what you said. Like I'm not making the same amount of salary that I made, but like my fulfillment is just so much higher. Like my my husband said, You were you actually.
You seem happier these days. I like, Yeah, 'cause I 'cause I am
Jennifer Johnson (10:50)
Yeah. And and then they find out for my old job I had that commute, which was really expensive. I had to have the
Gloria (10:56)
Mm-hmm.
Jennifer Johnson (10:57)
clothes, the all the other things that goes along with it. I don't have any of that right now. I can wear t shirt and things, I can do whatever. I don't have that huge ferry ticket to buy to go into the city. you're
lot of the costs are gonna change. Do you know what I mean? And
you need a lot less than when you have to do when working for someone. That's what I found. It's like amazing what you can get by with when you don't have to. Yeah, lifestyle. Exactly. Your whole lifestyle
Gloria (11:18)
you you mean lifestyle? Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (11:22)
feels it's just more relaxed. It's not so I ha
This need incessant need to get something. It's it's actually I put it more into get something for the business,
It's kind of like your whole redirect what what you're in because it's like it feeds you anyway. You know, I don't it's this this constant like circle. That's what I feel like.
Gloria (11:38)
Yeah, I it sounds like maybe this is outdated, but like people wanting to climb the corporate ladder, wanting to have growth, and it's like with growth is more money and blah blah blah. And like people may switch jobs in order to have an increase of salary. And a lot of times like I remember having this conversation with my sister and my cousin at one point, and I was like,
Why are we continually growing and to have more money? Like money for what? Like I think that's part of the conversation is intentionally creating a reason to have a certain amount of money. Cause like what lifestyle do you want to live? Is it a is it an extravagant lifestyle? Is it a more minimalistic lifestyle? And also like, where are you spending this the money for that too? So like I like that you're saying like you
you'd be surprised how little you can get by on and it's not compromising the amount of fulfillment you have in your life. Right.
Jennifer Johnson (12:33)
Right.
I will say roses and flowers and great things. So you do front their money is to start to to start a business that you have to have some. So you have to decide how you can
Gloria (12:43)
Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (12:43)
either borrow it or use your own or you know or things like that. So having those plans and really knowing where you know what's coming from and and ha having a kind of a plan B and a plan C is is really important.
you know, I've worked very hard in corporate to to have the money to to do this.
I think a lot of things I learned, you know, from even from the marketing things I did a lot of this the digital stuff so social media really helped me. Being comfortable with that
Gloria (13:11)
Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (13:12)
for the business that I have it's really, really important because that's how you get they'll even find you. So
being comfortable with those kind of things I did thirty five years of business is it it did get me somewhere. I'm not saying that my past life was awful to just every last bit. I think it did there was a building effect, but I'm definitely happier now. it's not gonna be just like doors are open or whatever you're doing and it's like business is there.
gonna be a slow
Gloria (13:38)
Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (13:38)
thing, then there might be some little bumps wrong anyway.
Gloria (13:41)
Yeah,
yeah. What what you were saying, like businesses usually don't turn a profit for a year to five years, the question that I have for you is it sounds like you had some business background in your corporate job, but how did you work towards figuring out what you needed to do in order to open up the plant place?
Jennifer Johnson (14:03)
it's just you know talking to different people, talking it out, getting people's di ideas, you know, what do they think is, you know, maybe a a good idea or not a good idea, or where they could go. It it's just I did a lot of
Testing, do you know what I mean? I was that's what I did. It was a lot of testing out. What
Gloria (14:19)
Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (14:20)
does this sound like? What do you think? What are you doing this? And how do I get to do this? And and I, you know, talking to my account and about like planning out what what we're doing and i you just have to you have to ask for help. That's it.
Gloria (14:35)
Mm.
Jennifer Johnson (14:37)
Know your what you're good at too. I think that's another thing, like accounting in me.
Nada. I pay someone to do that. It's just not my just not my forte. I'm just not a tick and tire to that point. I understand it. I definitely understand rhythm. But but to actually do the placements and categorization, no thank you. You know, so
Gloria (14:57)
Mm-hmm. I hear you. I hear you on that.
I I am an engineer. I do enjoy my spreadsheets. And yet it's still something that I would prefer to offload onto somebody else because it's like it's not the part
Jennifer Johnson (15:06)
Right.
Gloria (15:07)
that brings me joy. I right. And that that's part of it. Like we want to support other people in the
Jennifer Johnson (15:14)
Two?
Gloria (15:14)
businesses that they have too. So why not offload that? mechanical. my gosh.
Jennifer Johnson (15:17)
You're an engineer too. What kind of engineer were you? We can't. I was an industrial. So
long.
Gloria (15:24)
So
you wait, okay, so you were so much more into spreadsheets than I was.
Jennifer Johnson (15:28)
Yes, exactly.
I lived and died by spreadsheets. Yeah.
Gloria (15:32)
Holy crap. Wow.
I had no idea before we got on this call that you were industrial engineering.
Jennifer Johnson (15:40)
Yeah, yeah.
Gloria (15:41)
my gosh. Okay, so a lot of our listeners on this podcast are overthinker types. Go like
right that res that research you were talking about, before you actually put things into action. how how did you work through that overthinking research piece?
Jennifer Johnson (16:01)
Yeah.
so another part of this is I also think it's like things come together around the right time. I I mentioned I I have two daughters and one of them is a doctor and the other one's becoming a PA.
I am not gonna have children that come back to me that need to meet that I need to support, which I think is a huge thing this day these days. A lot of my friends are still supporting their children.
in a lot of ways. And so that can be a huge drain and keep you from doing what you want to do. but I would turn that around as this if you are supporting them, then ask for their support back into your business.
I think it's having the the people around either to that you don't have to support or you have or that can support you can also help in either way. But I think I was lucky to have that relief that I didn't have that I didn't have to worry about that part. a lot of people do.
having starting a business when you're younger, you don't have that luxury. so think about who else could help you with that aspect to leave you free, to do your to you start your business.
Gloria (17:03)
yeah, I
can definitely relate to that.
I'm practicing slowing down, just doing one thing at a time, which I think as a business owner, you you can only do one thing at a time. You can't like multitask and do everything all at once. Maybe, maybe that's why, like for me, that's why it took about twelve years, fifteen years to actually make a transition into entrepreneurship. And for you, five years of research to really go through all of that. I mean, it it takes time to do things one by one. And
I think a lot of times we when we start a new business, and I I feel this every now and then, it's like, I'm just so eager to like make it succeed and I want it want a profit from day one. And there's that impatience coming in
you know, I guess support from other people to be like, hey, it's okay to slow down. And I just want to provide that permission.
And and
I think the most important thing is also choosing to reach out to them. Because you may have those people. Like I know I had the people that I could reach out to, but I I felt really embarrassed to say, hey, I'm thinking of leaving engineering because it just doesn't suit me anymore.
Jennifer Johnson (18:10)
Yeah.
Gloria (18:11)
but then once I started to like slowly encroach on that conversation, I was like, this isn't too bad. Like they
People are so much more generous to I think others a lot of times I than I think to ourselves, right? Yeah.
Jennifer Johnson (18:23)
Sort of. Yeah, and they're also worried. They give this like
more credit. like, good, that sounds great. Go for it. They're all like usually just worm like, wow, I should be more more it more confident in myself. Yeah, that it can happen. So yeah.
Gloria (18:39)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. And even if they're less just like not quite listening and they're like, yes, totally agree. And I'm like, you know what? I'll take it. I'll take it. It's fine.
Jennifer Johnson (18:47)
You'll take
Gloria (18:51)
When you were when you were really going through that transition, like, was there a moment you were like, I I think I might have
made the wrong decision? Did you have any doubts that came up? And how did you appease that part of you?
Jennifer Johnson (19:07)
after the first year and my it it came up we had a health insurance issue. The health insurance came up and it was gonna be a lot a ton of money. I was thinking about how I would have to either close or really s close half the time and go back go back to work.
doing either as a consultant or as a full time thing. the the dread of doing that. But I have to say I was extremely lucky and my husband found out of the blue found a good job that he loves and it had a health insurance. I feel like sometimes things just fall into place they were meant to be.
job. he loves what he's doing now, plus it allows to do that. So I I sometimes had divine intervention, but that was the time. There was a time that just because we just couldn't afford the you know not having covered especially at our age. So that was unfortunately that was the time, but then fortunately something happened that we didn't have to go down that direction.
Gloria (20:06)
Yeah. I'm so curious like about that that mindset shift. Like you said like divine intervention. Sometimes I feel like there's a certain energy in the world that like, you know, when you open yourself up to allowing yourself to receive these opportunities, it seems like they just come about. Well like what do you think about that?
Jennifer Johnson (20:28)
I'm very into that. I work with a a a life coach that's really is what you think and what you put out there is what's gonna happen. So if you do thing think about negatively or I can't do this or this might happen, then it that will happen.
I know something's gonna happen.
it somewhere. I was getting that pit in my stomach. I'm like, I really don't want to do this. And then and then I just like please and it will happen. It will work out. It and and it did. I just I have to.
have to believe in that that I'm gonna concentrate of thinking of the now and the more and then the positively going out for of what can happen instead of putting out there in the world something negative and then that will do it.
Gloria (21:16)
Yeah. I I believe that that matters a lot because when you start to believe that it can happen, all of a sudden it's like, my gosh, there's a lot of white cars on the road. And all of a sudden, like the same thing. It's like, wow, there's
Jennifer Johnson (21:30)
Okay.
Gloria (21:31)
actually a lot of opportunities out there that you just hadn't opened yourself up to earlier because you didn't want to see them or whatnot.
But then when you start shifting to believing that it's possible, now you see all your white cars. And yeah, it's
Jennifer Johnson (21:46)
Yep, exactly.
Gloria (21:47)
just noticing that. So I really enjoyed this conversation.
Jennifer Johnson (21:50)
Yeah. Thank you. I enjoyed as well. Thank you.
Gloria (21:53)
If there was one thing you could tell somebody who's listening, an overthinker who's like kind of in this middle of contemplating a big transition in their life, what's one thing, one piece of advice you would like to share?
Jennifer Johnson (22:07)
boy.
Gloria (22:08)
Ha.
Jennifer Johnson (22:11)
I live in the soul so and so never say never.
every time I said I would never do this or it could never happen, it always happens. so just never say never that you won't I'll I'll never be able to do this or I'll never be able to like it it just
I would never live in Florida. I lived in Florida 10 years. I mean it was crazy. I mean like I said I never thought I'd live in New Jersey. I lived in Jersey 25 years. it there's smaller and bigger things like that, but I think just don't put that out there like this this roadblock of saying like there's a hard line.
And there's always you go around it, go over it or something. And it never wor it never turns out to be the way you kinda actually envision it, but maybe just something different and it could be better. So that's it. Never say never.
Gloria (22:57)
Never say never. So never
say never. And it's funny, I think I did the same thing. I was like, I'm never moving back to New Jersey
Jennifer Johnson (23:05)
It's just
cra yeah, exactly. So yeah, it's fun. Thank
Gloria (23:08)
Thank you, Jennifer.
Jennifer Johnson (23:10)
you so much. I really appreciate it. Good luck to you.
Gloria (23:12)
Thank you. Is there anything you wanted to share with the audience about what's coming up for the plant place?
Jennifer Johnson (23:18)
well the plant place is starting out. We've we've just introduced our new plant bingo. We have plant bingo nights once a month and we're actually doing one for our seniors, and specifically and kids, the daytime one in August. So if that goes well, we'll probably make that a more of a regular thing because I wanna make sure the plant place is someplace for almost everyone. So be great. Thanks so much.
Gloria (23:41)
Thank you so much, Jennifer. I can't wait to visit. Thank you.
Jennifer Johnson (23:43)
All right. Yep. All right. See ya.
Gloria Julien (23:47)
This has been an episode of Your Life Unbounded. If you are stuck in the career messy middle, stop looking for random inputs or data points. What you need is a strategic design to make that career move. So if today's episode gave you even a sliver of clarity, make sure to hit subscribe. If you have a colleague, a friend, or a family member who's also contemplating and overthinking that career decision, pass this episode along to them.
I'm Gloria Julian, career decision coach, thank you for being here. I'll see you next week.
