Yin & Yang...This Is Me

"Two forces in the universe, according to a Chinese theory: yin is the passive, negative force, and yang the active, positive force."

I have been in the Corporate world for 20 years and am in serious need of a big change. My brother is in the trucking industry and has been trying for a year now to get me to get my CDL's and start driving. He assures me it's easy once you learn the ins and outs but isn't that true of any new profession?

I have been researching the industry for several months now and I'm 99% positive this is what I want to do. However, I am scared. Scared of leaving a steady job and pay check. Scared of screwing up. Scared of not passing. As my subject title states...Yin & Yang...Two forces working against the other.

Did any of you have these feelings and how did you combat the indecisiveness?

Hi Jamie! Welcome! A whole bunch of us have gone through everything your describing and then some! You have found the best place to figure this out! Take a good long look around read all the articles and stories. In a few days, weeks or hours you will have a much better understanding of the trucker lifestyle! Best of luck, we are here for you!

Hi Jamie! Welcome! A whole bunch of us have gone through everything your describing and then some! You have found the best place to figure this out! Take a good long look around read all the articles and stories. In a few days, weeks or hours you will have a much better understanding of the trucker lifestyle! Best of luck, we are here for you!

How did I personally figure it out? Probably several things. Narrowed down to one, I can't see doing anything else!

"Two forces in the universe, according to a Chinese theory: yin is the passive, negative force, and yang the active, positive force."

I have been in the Corporate world for 20 years and am in serious need of a big change. My brother is in the trucking industry and has been trying for a year now to get me to get my CDL's and start driving. He assures me it's easy once you learn the ins and outs but isn't that true of any new profession?

I have been researching the industry for several months now and I'm 99% positive this is what I want to do. However, I am scared. Scared of leaving a steady job and pay check. Scared of screwing up. Scared of not passing. As my subject title states...Yin & Yang...Two forces working against the other.

Did any of you have these feelings and how did you combat the indecisiveness?

Hi there and welcome!

First off let me say that your feeling is normal. Btw, Ying and Yang are two forces that work TOGETHER not against each other.

In reality, trucking IS apart of the corporate world. All the skills that you've applied in your aspect of the corporate world still apply. You just have to add additional skills to the mix like learning how to drive big rigs and all that come with it. Life is short! Just do it or,.... not. When all is said and done, YOU are the one who have to deal with whatever decisions you make in life.

I'm saying this to you because the above was my mantra while I pressed on to become a Professional Class A Driver.

Oh, and let me assure you...you are gonna screw up! That is just a part of life. You live, you learn. Remember, you have the support of your brother...whoo, hoo! That is something to celebrate...Cole.

Jamie....I was you !!! Only I worked for a large legal state agency....and I made the big bucks. I sold my mini ranch, my horses, my farm equipment,...and everything that wouldn't fit in a 28 foot freight trailer. And I went to a small trucking school....4 day school...and bought a truck, and away I went with my husband...I was mentally burned out....it was the best thing I have ever done in my life.....Did I get rich ??? nope....lost all my savings, but ended up with a small place, room for a couple cows...and ALOT happier. Trucking freed me from so much...the almighty rat race for the dollar. I was able to see places that I never would have seen, even tho I had the money to travel, I would never have had the time. I learned what it was to run "west coast turnarounds" with the big Dogs. Our truck was no slouch...it wasn't governed and we drove it like we stole it. Bright yellow Petercar with black fenders...and chicken lights everywhere.....what a ride. If you want to feel what freedom feel like, and you are willing to work to get the chance for it....get out there and start your next adventure...life is for living.....you can't take the other crap with you when you die.....I know my granddaughter will remember riding in the "Starship" with her grandma steerin' and gearin'....and riding with her grandma on her Harley...and her soon to be on the road custom handmade trike. I'm over 60...you are never to old to dream it and make it come true. I'm gonna be really mad when I die...cuz I'll have had 20 things planned to do in the next 6 months.....

Thank you everyone. Cole Trucker, maybe I should have used a better metaphor... maybe the Angel and the Devil sitting on my shoulders whispering in my ears...You can do this...No you can't...Yes you can...and so on and so forth. I know I will inevitably make mistakes and screw up. I think I'm more concerned of the damage I may cause to someone else than to myself (or that may just be the little Devil ;) ) Yes!!! My brother has been a huge source of knowledge and support for me. He absolutely loves driving and keeps telling me that once I get on my own and over the jitters I will wonder why I didn't make this change sooner.

StarCar... You are awesome!!! Thank you for replying. I am so fed up with the Corporate world and trying to get ahead. I just need to be able to think for myself without someone constantly looking over my shoulder asking "Are you sure these numbers are right?"

Mikki... I have been researching, making my Pros and Cons list and talking to anyone who would answer my questions. I may not know exactly what to expect but I think I will be better prepared because of being pro-active in my quest. I hardly hear or read good things about the trucking industry so this forum is a refreshing place to get information.

Thank you all again for the advice and support.

I was hotel manager for 6 1/2 yrs. Skirts and heels and all that jazz. I commuted 2 hrs each way to work and worked about 70 hours a week and weekends too! When I lost my job and I found trucking it was like the best thing that could ever happen to me. I used to get told all the time I looked like i was 37. Now ppl think Im 24 but im 31. So evidently trucking has been good for my looks and seeing as how im alittle vain thats a good thing

Jaime P..... I am right along with you. I'm an Administrator at a Surgery Center and will be starting school in February of 2015. I am having anxiety thinking about the what if's. But reading these comments and speaking to my boyfriend about driving gives me good insight. Knowing that we are leaving good pay and stability is what we are used to, like many. But, we are only here on earth once, we independant woman need change at some point in life. Good luck with all your endeavors!!! To all you woman truckers.........Your awesome!!!!!

I am a cancer survivor and realize that tomorrow is never a given so I better live life while I can. I have worked in professional jobs all of my working life, and frankly I have hated most of it. Not so much my co-workers (but I have disliked a lot of the drama that comes with working in an office), but the being cooped up part. The job I probably enjoyed the most was selling cars (definitely male dominated), but I am tired of sales. I figure I will either love trucking or hate it, but I will know for sure if I try it and will never know if I don't. I don't want to get to the end of how ever many years I have left and say I wish I would have done (fill in the blank). Every day is a gift to be unwrapped, so don't sit around looking at the pretty paper!!!

Hubby and I, both Respiratory Therapists, needed a change. The long hours at the hospital were taking their toll. Yes, we made good money but after many years, we were burnt out.

When my hubby mentioned being team truck drivers I thought he was insane. I couldn't imagine being in a truck day after day, wouldn't that get old? And besides, I had always heard that truckers were nasty, rude society rejects... Not a good career choice, at best. But, now I was curious because a career change sounded good.

I began reading on trucker forums, soaking up everything I could about husband and wife's teaming on the road. People liked it, made good money, and had fun on the road.

Could I drive one of those huge trucks? They were scary and loud. Would I like the trucker life?

Yes, I had many fears about making a big change. But decided that I didn't want to be miserable anymore, so what the heck?

We attended a technical college course that was 8 weeks long. It was hard learning to back those long trailers. I'm very glad we took a long driving course because I needed all the practice I could get.

We didn't tell our families anything about our career change until we had our cdls. They didn't like it at all!! They were not supportive or understanding, told us we wouldn't last in trucking. They couldn't fathom why we would walk away from our medical careers to be truckers.

Initially, it hurt our feelings that they were so disappointed in our decision. Then we realized that this is about us being happy, it doesn't matter what they think.

Now, 9 months later, our families are happy for us because they see how happy we are with our new life.

During our first few months OTR , we stayed scared and stressed. Getting used to trucker life and learning how this whole thing works takes time. It isn't easy, but it gets easier and easier.

We are bringing home double the money we were making at the hospital. We each clear $1000 - $1250 per week, team driving at Usxpress. We have a new automatic Freightliner that rides like a Cadillac. We also got an $8000 sign on bonus. And our fleet manager shows us respect, he's very good to us.

We don't regret our decision to be truckers at all. Actually, we regret that we didn't do this years ago!

Be safe out there.