The Backup Plan: Life (and love) is what happens when you’re busy making other plans

Submitted by Lisa Steadman on March 24, 2010 - 7:22 pm

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I recently attended a screening of Jennifer Lopez’s new film The Backup Plan. In the movie, Jennifer plays an ex-corporate 39 year old woman who left her lucrative tech job because it wasn’t satisfying, launched her passion project, a high end pet boutique, and without Mr. Right in sight decides to get artifically inseminated. Within weeks, she’s pregnant.

Enter Mr. Right.

Hilarity ensues as this Type A woman tries to navigate the sweet surrender of imperfect, beautiful love, motherhood, and work.

As the closing credits rolled, I couldn’t help thinking: Love is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

And I was reminded of my own journey to happily ever after. A journey that started with The Big Breakup, led to my exit from Corporate America, and ultimately landed me 3 book deals, a juicy coaching practice, and Mr. Right.

For both myself and Jennifer’s character Zoe, our backup plans worked out better than expected.

With the economy being what it is, I know that there hundreds of thousands of people out there who have been forced to reinvent their careers and lives due to corporate downsizing. And there are countless others who have opted to walk away from the money and prestige of Corporate America to launch a passion project. I went in search of these extraordinary individuals. And here’s what I discovered…

Logging Off
Six months ago, my husband and I left a fast paced life in NYC for a more ‘outdoorsy’ life in small town Colorado.  He left his stressful but money making job as a sales trader. I kept my PR job and now work from home. In the beginning, there were a lot of uncertainties, but ultimately we decided to take the adventure over stability and security. We took a 2 week road trip across country filled with many stops and lots of adventures. Life is very different here, and we love it and have no regrets. We also feel a lot more inspired and motivated to have more adventures in the future. My husband is now a mortgage lender and seems to have a fulfilling career in front of him. I hope to start a garden and maybe even a bee colony in our backyard this summer.
- Casey Corrigan

Bought the Farm
After I raised my sons, I left California and moved 3000 miles away to Connecticut to live my lifelong dream. I didn’t know anyone or have any definite plans for work. I just followed a little voice inside me. I bought a 211 year old farm house and turned it into my sanctuary, started a sustainable company and don’t put up with any nonsense anymore. Following my heart/passion/dream has been the best thing I have ever done, next to my children. I recommend implementing your backup plan to anyone wholeheartedly!
- Lesley Burton-Dallas

Number Cruncher-turned-Fashionista
I used to be an accounting manager, but the dream I had since I was 5 years old was to be a fashion designer. Accounting was a great career choice, but the more I worked for someone else the more I felt that I wasn’t being honest with myself. It got to the point where there was just too much to lose if I didn’t pursue my dream of fashion and design. I couldn’t stand crunching numbers and doing something for a company that wasn’t my own. Now I sew beautiful gowns for people who really appreciate what I do and most of all I’m happy doing what I love to do on a daily basis!

In addition to quitting working in the accounting field, I finally found the time to lose 30 pounds of weight and really become healthy before I turn 30 in September. It’s funny how we worry ourselves about money when we work, but we don’t pay attention to what it is doing for our souls and our bodies. It was the best decision I have ever made for my life!
- Jennyvi Dizon

Downsized Deja Vu
I took my sideline business full-time as my Backup Plan when I was laid off from the Corporate World for the second time in Fall of 2007. In these difficult times where employers toss aside people without any thought, and business owners are struggling and people are losing confidence in themselves, I teach others that they have a simple Backup Plan that is easily tapped into and always within their reach. So not only am I living my Backup Plan, but I work to empower others to do so as well so they are not so vulnerable in the workplace.
- Melanie Jordan

Fertile Mertyle
I was in Brand Management/Strategic Marketing for large consumer packaged goods firms. I was quite successful, but also quite miserable at the job. After my personal battle with infertility, I just couldn’t go back to something that seemed so meaningless. And I couldn’t justify all the hours away from my kids and the lack of flexibility solely for a paycheck. So I started The Adoption Consultancy helping other infertile singles and couples to build their families. I basically serve as a ‘wedding planner’ for adoption helping my clients to navigate the maze and avoid the pitfalls of adoption. We take a proactive approach that enables our clients to adopt healthy newborns within 6 months, on average. Now I do something that honors my personal struggle, that truly makes a difference for others, and that allows me the flexibility & lifestyle that I desire as a working mom.
- Nicole Witt

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