The Biggest Risk (Or Walking Away From My Job)

I've done a lot of supposedly "risky" things in my life.  I've thrown myself over waterfalls in a rubber raft,  jumped out of airplanes, built a balsa log raft and floated on in down the Peruvian Amazon, trekked the Lost City in Colombia, backpacked through Southeast Asia, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, climbed frozen waterfalls in sub-zero temperatures, among many other random adventures.  I make it a point to keep myself on the edge of my comfort zone and fully engaged in life by completing goals off of my ever-evolving bucket list.

I wish Morgan Freeman could narrate my bucket list!

My life, however, has been an exercise in an orderly and well-planned existence with bursts of "slightly insane" interspersed.  I've always had a job of some sort since high school.  I've always had a plan well before I quit each job I've ever had, whether it was a new job already lined up, or graduate school.  Every step I've taken, at least on paper, was a logical step towards a robust international law career.  Long vacations were always timed to happen logically between stages of my life, so that I never really had to ask for a leave of absence.  I survived on adventurous long weekends and vacations taken after particularly grueling deadlines.

For the first time, I will be quitting my job with no plan.  For the first time, I will be quitting my job for no reason, other than I think it's time.  I do not have to negotiate a formal sabbatical.  I do not have to hope that my bosses will understand.  I get to simply walk away.  It's a little nerve-wracking.  For the first time, I am taking a real risk.

I had intended to give notice on February 1, but I just found out that I will have my annual review on January 30th.  It only makes sense to give notice at that time.  One week.  To the day.  Holy crap.