Mary was a middle manager in her late 40s. She had been with the same company for 20 years. While her position would be a dream to many, she hadn’t been happy for a while.

She was wondering whether it was the income that had pacified her for so long. She desperately wanted out, but the fear of being too old and what would happen if she did leave kept her stuck.

One of the key things that came out was that Mary loves nature. She felt called to bring the beauty of nature to other people so that they, too, can experience what she does when she’s in nature.

One day, on her way from work, Mary stopped at a local flower market and had an epiphany. She loves flowers! She’s always reaped compliments for her beautiful flower arrangements for family and friends!

Mary needed a plan to transition to flowers. It didn’t take long, and she found a part-time position in a florist shop. Surrounded by beautiful plants and fragrant flowers, she felt whole.

She worked in the shop for about a year when one day, out of the blue, the owner told her she was ready to retire so that she could spend more time with her grandchildren. She asked if Mary would like to buy the store.

Mary was convinced that she couldn’t afford it. When she shared her concerns with the owner, she offered to sell it to her on installments, for no money down, and she even offered to stay on part-time and give her advice when needed.

Mary felt quite comfortable to accept the offer. She resigned from her managerial position only when she saw that the owner’s loyal customers kept coming back and her creative touches had attracted a score of new ones.

It doesn’t always happen like this or this quickly, but when you make small, calculated steps, the fear of regret stands no chance.