A New Adventure: Letting Your Dreams Guide You. By Cobie Haggard

Back in 2019 I thought I had finally figured out my life plans. I was graduating from Texas Woman’s University with my Bachelor’s degree in General Studies and preparing to take my education certification exams that summer. I was offered a few jobs and was so excited to get my career started and to follow in the footsteps of my family members who were teachers and principals. I not only knew I wanted to teach but it just came so natural to me. Being in the classroom was second nature to me. I had worked with so many different kids and loved them all dearly. But, as the years progressed forward I realized that teaching was not all that it seemed to be. I felt burned out, stressed, overwhelmed, angry, frustrated, and down right ticked. The education system was failing so many of my students and others world wide and the way that rules and regulations were changing left and right was insane to me. I knew I wanted out but I had no clue how to get out or what I’d do. 

Fast forward to March 2023, I am sitting in my classroom grading math papers and preparing for the next week and working on my to do list during my conference period. I finished the main tasks that were important and I had this overwhelming sense of “I don’t want to do this anymore”. I had just had my daughter four months previous and she was being cared for by my mother who was an angel for helping me with her while my husband and I both worked our full time jobs. But, I was missing out on everything! I hated it! I hated being away from her and not being around. I went to my journal I had with me and began writing and brainstorming ideas that I had been thinking about for a while. I wanted to be my own boss and I wanted to still work with people and meet new people. But, I had always loved fashion. I loved the western fashion and anything I ever wore always had a western twist to it. I grew up in the western industry showing and raising animals in FFA and 4-H and participated in rodeo events as well. I found my niche. As I brainstormed ideas on what to do to mesh two worlds together it dawned on me that I should open my own boutique and stay home with my daughter. I didn’t think the opportunity would ever come, but the idea never left me.

Then, in May 2023 my husband was given a wonderful job opportunity which meant we had to move out of state. The idea I had finally became a reality when he wanted me to stay home so we could save on child care. I finally found my way out of my career path that I thought I loved and began my new adventure. I took out my teacher’s retirement and put half of that into my business to get me started and to help me grow. I’m not going to lie, it’s hard. There are weeks where I don’t have any sales, there are weeks where I have so many I’m trying to communicate and fill orders and run errands to meet deadlines. There are a lot of things that go through my head on how to market and make my business known and how to get sales to where I can stock inventory. It’s hard, but to me it’s worth the hard. It’s worth the “what if”, and it’s worth my sanity.

I am now working towards goals I never thought I’d set and I’m meeting people that I never thought I would! I’m grateful for the support I have and I’m thankful that the idea and wild dream I had is now my reality. It’s definitely a learning experience everyday and I’m only two months into my new adventure, but I am really enjoying every minute of it. The best advice I can give is to keep pushing. There will be doubts and trust me I’ve had my doubts. I’ve had doubts if I’ll last as long as I hope to, or if I will ever make the money I want to make. But, I have to admit it truly is rewarding and fulfilling. Don’t give up on yourself or your wild dreams. Let your dreams become your new adventure.