I was trying to think of creative and catchy way to introduce and explain where the title of my blog came from but all I could think of today was how awesome women are!!!! Which kind of ties into the story (you'll see at the end hopefully lol). Many of you run at the word timeshare. Even the folks that own one do! I on the other hand made my living for the last seven and a half years from that dirty word. There was many good perks but one big dark cloud I could never escape which lend to me parting ways. When I started in 2012 the only reason I even applied is my Dad told me I needed a job after a failed businesss venture (dont do business with friends). I asked him "what is timeshare?" and he said selling condos. I rememeber thinking is he nuts, I cant sell anything. Well, because Dad said so I applied and to my surprise the next day I got a phone call saying they wanted an interview with me. I went and I never will forget the sight I saw. When I walked throught the sales floor I couldnt believe they called this work. Bubbles floating gracefully, beach balls souring over the clients, a fake gerbal running into all the chairs on the floor with two kids chasing it, people laughing and having fun. I dont rememeber much of my interview after that. From what I recall it wasnt very long, answered a few questions, he brought someone else in to talk to me, and he kept leaving and then told me I was hired. I left thinking what did I get myself into... and wasn't that the truth.
Some people you meet in timeshare before you get to know them are like the Great Gatsby. They all have their own story, but someone elses sounds better to them until you find out the real truth. Sales is tough and sometimes timeshare sales is even tougher. It allowed me to meet some of my greatest friends also cool clients, learn a whole list of things about sales and the real world, but the one valuble lesson I learned and will never stray from I can do anything even if I'm a woman. Far too many times ladies sit back when its a male dominated company and take the crap and allow to be held back. It took me years in the industry to see it. It wasnt until one little Puerto Rican pistol came in and we went toe to toe. It wasnt pretty at times, but boy did he give me strength I never even knew I had. It’s one thing to be a leader but to be a dictator and not even be at the top of this food chain? That just means the boss sat back and let him do his job plus one more. So many terrible things were happening, stuff was getting messed up and alot of lies were being told. I literally didnt agree with anything this guy said. In fact I loathed him at the time. I even had nightmares about him at work and would wake up in the middle of the night in a panic or tears. Despite all the bad stuff there was a ton of good (which i didnt see at the time) that came out of this incounter. He taught me in this time to stand up for myself and what was right, to fight for what I want, also to be creative and be quick on my feet. All this time I lived, eat, breathed work. I missed out on so many things because of taking on an extra day of work, switching my schedule at a dime for them, etc. All while my friends and family had to suffer. I even moved to Vegas thinking this was my next big career move (so I was told).......little did I know this was when the tornado would start.
A few months into my move my Grandpa took a turn for the heavens. Even though every month I would come home every month and make them my first visit it wasnt enough. He was ready to come home. I will never forget leaving and going back to Vegas after coming home for my Grandmas 94th birthday and having a party. 11 days later I got the call. I always thought I knew what heartbeak was but not until June 11th, 2018 I felt the true meaning. Id never had a loss in my life. My old man left me. I was hurt. I was angry. I was lost.... That night was the longest night of my life waiting till 8am to get on a plane to see him for the last time. You literally couldn’t see my eyes they were so swollen. My parents had stuff to do so Coco and Lexie (her dog) picked me up from the airport and of course she was late and then her debt card didnt work at the gas station. Which thank god she picked me up because she gave me a few laughs I definetly needed in this. Not to get off subject but if your praying folks if you could pray for Coco's family as they lost their Grandfather yesterday as well that would be appreciated. I remember seeing my Dad’s face for the first time when we got in the drive way... it wasnt the same as it used to. We all were changed by Grandpas passing. My parents had been staying with him for the previous month due to his health. It was kinda like all of our lives we knew stopped and we had to find a new way to live. The next few days were foggy. I just rememeber black was the only color I wore and the only laugh I could give myself was knowning Grandpa was chuckling upstairs with all his friends and family and telling me silly girl its okay dont cry for Grandpa Im up here eating all the greasy polish sausage I want and no one denying me dessert. I rememebr thinking how on earth can I go back to Vegas and continue the life I started out there...and later I got my sign I wouldn't for now. After the worst week of my life I was headed to the airport to return to Vegas when I got the sign. My uncle had been battling prostate cancer for about five year and he too also took a turn for the worst the night before and my mom didnt tell me till then. I remember thinking I cant do this I cant miss out on anything else for this job. I already had realized that I wasnt getting the "promotion" so what was left out here for me? I made the best choice possible for myself and decided I needed to move back home. But before I could get the hell out of dodge.... work got in the way once again but I wont bore you with those details..... But then it happened. My two girlfriends hopped a flight and came to my rescue and we hopped in my car and drove home.
Two weeks later after finally getting settled in.. I made the two and ahalf hour drive to go see my uncle. Little did I know it was going to be my last time. I will never forget his face when he saw me, looking at him in the hospital bed, and our last conversation. Cancer had taken my uncle. But it wasnt until August 30th, 2018 it finally took him, all too soon after Grandpa. Of course work made me switch my days around so I didnt have to take time off also questioned me while I was at the funeral. After all this... this is when my challenge to grow my career again started. I wasn’t okay with just being a rep. Finally after almost seven years they gave me a shot to move up and be a manager. That might have been where they lost me. I soon started realizing I got this spot by default and I wasn’t exactly who they wanted to fill the position. I wasn’t appreciated for all my hard work and effort, my comments were muted and told weren’t necessary but then sold as their own ideas, and they hated the fact I was a woman because I wasn’t part of the boys club. When you end your meetings with "lets do this boys.....oh and girl!" Countless times it gets old. I even was told from someone " Wow, didnt expect you to be a manager when I got back I didn’t think you could do it. F that. Woman can do anything a man can do, Even though the world was created by man he made woman second because I truly believe he knew he made flaws in man and needed to correct them through women. All through history you can see the repression of women and it isnt fair. Less pay, not treated equal, and in some cases passed up for being a woman.
During this time I truly lost myself. I had a bad breakup, recindled with my ex, drama at work, etc. You name it and I felt like it happened to me. It was through these dark and depressing time that I learned my most valuable life lessons. Number 1: people can suck!! When I say suck I mean being nasty, let you down, and suck the ever living life out of you. I learned you dont have to please anyone but yourself, and you do not need to keep anyone in your life you do not want to. I’m saving you all the petty things that also happened but I’m sure you can imagine where this led with work... I eventually quit. I will never forget the day walking out of the office and saying... well I didnt plan for this to happen now but its here its now and I am unemplyeed. At first it was okay, but then I freaked out, but then realized this was the time to worry about me. I spent many miles hiking Devils Lake State Park and with every step I took I found myself. If anyone knows me that definetly wasn’t my thing to do but I found comfort in that journey and I slowly started to find myself, make sense of things, and in a sense come back to life. The real"er" true better version of myself which now I still conintue to work on everyday.
Even though some of you might not get it, but this road wasn’t an easy one to be on. It didnt happen overnight... the feelings or what felt like to be torchure. Some may say wow it wasnt that bad you had a great job you should have stayed. When every day feels like a battle for your morals and what you believe in, in my mind its time to go. Though there are some people I still love and don’t get me wrong I still miss working there from time to time. I know in my heart it was the right thing to do. This journey will forever be a part of my life story and how it molded me. I never want anyother female to feel the way I felt. Women truly don’t get enough credit for all the amazing things we do. I mean we create life within us and have to go through a painful child birth to bring another human into this world. I don’t see many men signing up for that or trying to change history and science to be able to carry a child, do you? Look at all the amazing women in history. Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Anna Frank, Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Mother Teresa just to name a few. We haven’t even had a woman president... whats up with that??? Women are way more powerful than we get credit for. I cannot wait to see when the shift happens and women take this world over and let the men get repressed like we as women have through out history.
My blog title inspirtaton was not only to share my story but to inspire or help others along the way. If the only thing I do is make someone laugh, brighten their day, or simply change their point of view in one way I succeeded. After diving in social media and seeing this huge tribe, gang, or group of women coming together to empower others, I was inspired to be part of that. And along came this blog. Always rememeber you can do anything you set your mind to and if anyone tells you you can’t do something that should be your motivation to do it, and do it better than they ever expected you to do.
xoxoxo
-Rachel
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