Sage job advice: “Never run from something, always run to something.”

That describes Cristina Wilson’s transition.

Cristina loved her job in the Charlotte Observer’s Magazine Division (4+ years). She was the editor of Carolina Bride and involved in a number of other strategic rollouts. Oh, and she authored a book, Carolina Bride – Inspired Design For A Bespoke Affair.

Her friend and Observer colleague Sarah Crosland wrote on Facebook: “My new favorite podcast is Cristina Wilson’s The Morning Stir – listen, and it’ll be yours too. Specifically, listen to today’s, which is about her brave and inspiring jump into freelance life (which I’m trying not to be totally bummed out by as it means I’ll be seriously missing her—and her creative talent—around the office).” Cristina will miss her team – Sarah, Katie and Tracy.

Cristina is a top creative talent in Charlotte and it’ll be exciting and enlightening to watch her pursue film, writing and podcasting.

It’s fascinating to get into the mind of a creative as they go from a steady paycheck to the unknown.

Listen to Cristina describe her transition over two Morning Stir Episodes; Part 1: “Why I’m leaving my job to be a ‘creative’ – yikes!“(13 mins 14 secs) and Part 2: “My 3 New Steps to a Happy Life” (10 min 22 secs). Seriously, go listen.

Key quotes

• Goal setting: “I don’t want my goals to turn into rules. I don’t want a missed goal to feel like a failure. My goal is to do things I love, figure out which things I love the most, and try to work that into a career and life that I love, everyday.”

• Fear: “I totally feel scared of things right now. I promise.”

• Projects: “I will continuing to write. I’m a writer and an editor. Keeps me in touch with the community I’m in. I’ll also produce a short film in the next few months and submit to festival… I will try it out and see how it feels.”

• Outlook: “Even when I give these answers I realize I’m all over the place, but I’m okay with that. I feel a lot of pressure to hide it and be more normal. I used to think that if you did everything, you weren’t an expert at anything. I don’t believe that anymore.”

• Why now: “I thought seriously about film school as a possibility. But ultimately that felt like a huge commitment… Trading in one set of rules for another, corporate publishing job to classroom demands… Still not really your own boss. I just needed the time to pursue things… As I thought about going back to school, made peace with making a big transition.”

• 3 Goals: “Express and find daily gratitude. Give myself time to be creative without required results. Make a positive impact on the people around me with small gestures and thoughtful moments.”

The Morning Stir

• Cristina launched a podcast and describes it as follows: “The Morning Stir is a weekday podcast to help you start your day feeling relaxed and inspired. Drawing on channels of faith, female leadership, and principles of meditation, The Morning Stir aims to help you quiet the constant stimuli of the rest of the day, and take a moment each morning just for you. It’s a soothing new way to snooze.”

• Episodes are between 10 – 15 minutes. The time feels right and it leaves you wanting more.

• New episodes are added each weekday morning.

• The vibe of the podcast is very zen. It’s relaxing and incorporates music from Cameron Moore.

• The Morning Stir is featured on iTunes’ New & Noteworthy podcasts.

Reasons to believe in Cristina

(1) Vulnerable. Not afraid of talking about being afraid. Translates into a very raw/unfiltered experience.

(2) Discipline creativity. Even though Cristina’s creative, you don’t manage a magazine and get a book published with a large corporation without having discipline. The daily rhythm on the podcast will keep her in motion.

(3) Knows women. There isn’t enough media being created for female audiences. Sure, you have Refinery29 and Bustle, but that’s not close to enough. The market is way underserved.

(3) Self aware. People love Cristina because she calls herself out when she gets too “zen” or emotional.

(4) Raw talent. Proven.

(5) Lean Startup Methodology. Build, measure, learn. It’s unlikely she’s heard of this Silcon Valley framework, but she’s following it both with her projects and her life.

(6) Jazzercise. Yes, she does this.

It’ll be exciting to watch what happens when one of Charlotte’s top creatives is unleashed. Listen along.