The Blondie Song That Led Me to Become a Personal Assistant in Calgary

The Story Behind My Name, “Shayla” by Blondie

I was named after a song my mom loved, “Shayla” by Blondie. It is not one of their most famous songs, but it tells a quiet, powerful story. A girl working a factory job, going through the motions, while somewhere deep down she knows there is something more waiting for her. Something bigger. Something more aligned with who she really is.

Recently, I was talking to my cousin, who is also named Shayla, and she mentioned the song. She said it reminds her of me more than ever now. It stayed with me longer than I expected, like another quiet reminder of how connected all of this feels.

For most of my life, I did not think much about that connection. It was just a name, just a song. A fun fact I would occasionally share when people asked where my name came from.

Fifteen Years That Didn’t Quite Fit

I spent years working in oil and gas. On paper, it made sense. It was stable and felt like a place to build a future. I learned a lot and grew professionally, but over time it became clear that the respect and future I expected and worked so hard for were not really there. There was always a quiet feeling that something did not quite fit.

It was not dramatic. I did not wake up every day hating my job. It was more subtle than that. A sense that I was capable of something more, a pull toward a life that felt more like mine. I could not fully explain it at the time, and for years, I ignored it. That is what you are supposed to do, right? You stay the course. You keep going.

Until eventually, that quiet feeling gets louder.

I started to realize that success, at least the version I had been chasing, was not actually what I wanted long term. I wanted more flexibility, more connection, more control over my schedule, and more purpose in the day to day. I wanted to feel like the work I was doing truly helped people in a way I could see and feel.

But I kept going, even while working toward a Human Resource Management certificate at my most recent job, but when I finished it, things did not turn out the way I expected, and it ended up pulling me in a completely different direction.

That is when the idea of becoming a Personal Assistant in Calgary started to take shape.

Gradually, I noticed how much I enjoyed helping others stay organized, manage their to do lists, and take care of the small but important details of life that so often get pushed aside. I saw how much of a difference it made for executives, professionals and parents in Calgary when those things were handled. It gave people space to breathe, to focus, and to actually enjoy their time.

And something about that clicked.

Choosing a Different Path

Leaving the corporate world after 15 years was not a simple decision. There was a lot to consider and a lot of uncertainty. Walking away from something stable into something unknown rarely feels comfortable. But at a certain point, staying felt more uncomfortable than leaving.

So I made the leap.

I built a Calgary-based Personal Assistant business dedicated to helping executives, professionals, and parents in Calgary with life admin, errands, and personal to dos. The kinds of things that quietly pile up and create stress in the background of everyday life. It might not sound big or flashy, but the impact is real. When those details are taken care of, my clients get time back, energy back, and headspace back.

And that matters.

A Quiet Full Circle

Somewhere along the way, I thought about that song again. About Shayla, standing on the edge of a life that does not quite fit, knowing there is something more out there for her.

And I could not help but notice the parallel.

I had spent years in roles that may have looked right from the outside, but they never aligned for me on the inside. I often felt unappreciated and stuck, always trying to make something work that never truly fit. Still, that quiet pull toward something different never went away, and eventually, I chose to listen to it.

It feels strange to call it a coincidence.

Out of all the names in the world, my mom chose one from a song about leaving a job for something bigger. And years later, I found myself doing exactly that. Not in the same way, not in the same setting, but in spirit, it is remarkably similar.

Now, when I hear that song, it feels different.

It feels personal.

It reminds me that sometimes the most important changes do not start with a big, obvious moment. They start quietly. A feeling you cannot quite shake. A thought that keeps coming back. A sense that there is something more meant for you, even if you cannot fully see it yet.

And it reminds me it is okay to follow that feeling, even when it does not make perfect sense on paper.

Today, I get to build something in Calgary that feels aligned with who I am. I get to help executives, professionals and parents in a way that is tangible and meaningful. I get to create a life that fits me instead of trying to fit into something that does not.

And every now and then, I think about the story behind my name.

Not just as a coincidence, but as a quiet reminder that sometimes the path you are meant to take has been with you all along, waiting for you to notice.

Thank you, Mom

And finally, I want to thank my mom. For the name she gave me, and for the song that came with it.

At the time, it was simply a name she loved from a Blondie song she connected with. But looking back now, it feels like so much more than that. It feels like a quiet thread that has followed me through every version of my life, even before I understood what it meant.

Mom, I do not know if you ever imagined I would end up building a life that feels so closely aligned with that story, but I think you gave me something more than a name. You gave me a reminder, long before I needed it, that it is okay to listen for something more and to trust it when it finally speaks clearly enough to follow.

I am grateful for that every day and I love you.