Reflections on leaving a great job/great people

Well many of you know that I have recently decided to go on my own after 26 years in corporate america ( I really hate this term - it is too generic, but perhaps I will write about this in a later blog). I am new to blogging, but not new to the world of communications. I have been in the advertising world since 1984. So, why did I decide to leave? It is a good question, and one I don't have a great answer for yet....What I came to realize is that when I did start telling my friends about my choice, I got surprising feedback. Many actually told me I was courageous and that they were envious of my decision. I had clearly touched on a nerve - a general unrest in their current jobs or perhaps a longing like myself to start a new chapter in their lives. I think that perhaps this is tied to age of my circle of friends. I do not think I am courageous, but I do know that I took a leap of faith that there was something else out there for me. I left great people, great company and a sense of security that made me feel very blessed. I have two consulting engagements that I feel very fortunate to be working on. I wake up every day filled both optimism and a healthy sense of fear.