Take the Leap: How I Quit Corporate and Found My Happy Place

By Heather Hakes

For the last decade, author Heather Hakes followed the norm. She worked the standard 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. corporate job while living for the weekends or the next paid holiday and daydreaming about what destination she would visit next. But she had an inner callingan intuitive nudgethat there was so much more out there she was meant to be doing.

In Take the Leap, Hakes tells how she left the monotonous routine of the corporate world to create her dream life of living on her own terms. She shares a series of short stories about life experiences, overcoming obstacles, and the importance of perseverance. She offers real-life advice and tools and techniques to unblock your limiting beliefs, bust out of your comfort zone, and live the life you dream about.

A guide for those stuck in monotony, Take the Leap helps you shed the mundane for an enjoyable and fulfilling life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jul 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9781982207694

Heather Hakes

Heather Hakes is an author, public speaker and mindset strategist who has helped people transform their lives. She is host of the podcast, Living a Balanced Life and shares additional content on her YouTube channel. Visit her online at www.HeatherHakes.com and on Instagram @Heather.Hakes.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 Heather Hakes.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-0768-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-0770-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-0769-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018907772

Balboa Press rev. date: 07/11/2018

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1     Design a Life You Love

Chapter 2     Your Life Blueprint

Chapter 3     Trust Your Intuition

Chapter 4     Trade Expectations for Appreciation

Chapter 5     Hitting Rock Bottom

Chapter 6     Overcoming Grief

Chapter 7     Having an Attitude of Gratitude

Chapter 8     Say Yes to New Adventures

Chapter 9     New Beginnings

Chapter 10   Leveraging Adversity

Chapter 11   Knowledge Is Power

Chapter 12   Gaining Clarity on Your Life’s Purpose

Chapter 13   Collect Moments, Not Things

Chapter 14   Reprogram Your Beliefs

Chapter 15   Gaining Momentum

Chapter 16   Bust Out of Your Comfort Zone

Chapter 17   Realign Your Priorities

Chapter 18   Be You

Chapter 19   Jump and the Net Will Appear

Chapter 20   Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

Chapter 21   Failure: Make It Your New Best Friend

Chapter 22   Broaden Your Horizons

Chapter 23   Keep Going

Chapter 24   Persevering Through a Desire to Quit

Chapter 25   Go with the Flow

Chapter 26   Live Your Life with No Regrets

Chapter 27   Know Your Worth

Chapter 28   Mind: Manifesting Your Desires

Chapter 29   Body: Creating Healthy Habits

Chapter 30   Spirit: Incorporating Meditation

Chapter 31   A Morning Routine

Chapter 32   Surrendering to What Is

Chapter 33   Living a Balanced Life

Chapter 34   Discover Yourself

Chapter 35   Do What You Love

Chapter 36   Summing It Up

Works Cited

Recommended Reading

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Dedicated to you, the reader.

Thank you for reading my story; I hope it catapults you to achieve the results you desire.

*Editing and consulting services provided by Suzanne K. Dawe, Denver, Colorado.

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Acknowledgments

It really does take a village to raise a child. I have been fortunate to have so many amazing people in my life throughout the years. I’m grateful for all I have experienced to date, and I want to extend a special shout-out to those closest to me. This book wouldn’t have been written without your support and guidance every step of the way.

Thank you to my mom and dad for always being my biggest fans and loudest cheerleaders. I am forever grateful for your endless support. Dad: thank you for teaching me the value of a dollar at such a young age and for guiding me to be of service to others. Mom: thank you for your patience and insightful words, and for always getting me back on track to trusting my inner guide.

Thank you to my Gma. Thank you for showing me the example to always be there for others and always having my back. And I want you to know, I’ll still always win at rummy!

Thank you to my cousin, Lacey. You’re the sister I never had. I value your opinion, and no matter the time of day, I know I can always reach out to you. From the rock game to today, I cherish our memories and look forward to what’s to come!

Thank you to one of my very dear friends, Kelly. You have shown me the true power and strength to come out of any obstacle like a champion. I love your honest opinion and how you always give it to me straight!

Thank you, Caitlin, for being my friend through thick and thin, and especially when I can be a total pain in the ass. You always know what to say and always see the best in me.

Thank you, J Hill, for being the hostess with the mostest! You’ve always been up for an adventure, and I am grateful that no matter the distance, we pick up right where we left off.

Thank you, KP, for your never-ending supportive words. You listen with open ears and are honest when I need it the most. Your kind, loving approach is greatly appreciated.

Thank you to my friends and family, near and far. I love each and every one of you.

Thank you to my editor, Suzanne. You were incredibly patient throughout the writing process and taught me so much. Thank you for pulling out of me what I was really trying to convey.

Finally, thank you to Jess for reading through my first draft. You helped bring out my personality for my readers, making sure I gave the Heather Hakes touch! And thank you for your adventurous spirit and love for nature.

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Introduction

I have written this book to share how I have learned to trust my intuition, embrace the human experience, feel the fear and do it anyway and create balance of the mind, body, and spirit. I hope it inspires you to live the life you dream about. Your inner wisdom knows the way—you just have to step back from the noise and listen. The stories I have shared with you are of my personal experiences and tough decisions that helped me do just that.

I’ve been on a spiritual path since I was fifteen years old. I was thirsty for knowledge and understanding