I’m enjoying a can of “Love Notes” beer, a “Hazy India Pale Ale.” The can’s image is refreshing, it has summer colors of yellow and orange. What makes it special though is the name of the company that made it. Severance Brewing Company, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It’s on my list to visit. The name made me wonder what the story was behind the name. I found the answer on their website.

The name “Severance” is a nod owners, Scott and Mark, leaving long-held, comfortable jobs and essentially creating their own severance package in the form of a brewery. Severance Brewing Company™ provides those longing to sever ties from the norm – both in life and drink – unique and creative craft beers that are not confined to pre-defined guidelines and the inspiration to follow their passion. 

Severance is about severing ties to something, it’s an ending. Endings shouldn’t be avoided, because they are the springboard to something new. New beginnings come after endings.

We often relate severance with the transitional pay someone receives when their organization ends their employment, usually without the employee’s input. It happens more than you might imagine. Every year (non-pandemic) in our country, there are 21.7 million (BLS 10-year average) involuntary job losses i.e., a layoff, a discharge, a job elimination, etc. Which means each year there are many people looking for something new, because their job ended.

You too have a choice. You can begin a job search or launch your own business. Usually we need a push, so it often happens when:

• You aren’t enjoying your job or who you work with.
• Your job is at a “dead end” in the organization.
• Your job isn’t your passion, and you want to follow your passion.

The Severance Brewing Company owners gave up what was comfortable and known, to follow their passion to create something new. I doubt it was easy, but I would bet they are enjoying life more today that they were before. Good things happen in new beginnings.

Sadly there are more who won’t make that decision, who remain where they are even though they are unhappy, unchallenged, underemployed, or are at the “dead end.” What holds us back from initiating a change, when we know we should move on?

Fear of the unknown and of failure, neither of which is a cause of death.

How do you fight fear? Start with prayer, seeking God’s wisdom and support. Then, don’t look back, start moving forward a step at a time and trust Him. Don’t try to do too many things or look too far in the future, you will only get more anxious. Break it down in small pieces, one step at a time.

If you are searching for a new job, start with these simple steps, but one at a time.

• Assess your gifts and skills, what gives you joy
• Research job opportunities
• Update your resume
• Identify people you can network with

If you’re interested in launching a business, try these, but one at a time:

• Talk to people who have made the leap, learn from them
• Research the market to see who your competition will be
• Evaluate your financial needs

As you keep moving forward, you’ll gain confidence and excitement about the future. Those single steps will become a jog, then a sprint toward your goal.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13b-14