Joy, I could weep! This Friday is my last day at my job and hopefully corporate forever. I quit because the work was slowly driving me insane and like you I decided that the cost (even with a $200K+ salary) was too high. I’ve been working on a novel for a few years and it feels inevitable now that I will finish it and it will be on bookshelves someday (soon, I pray). Other than continuing to work on the novel I don’t know what full-time paying work as a creative looks like, and it is scary. But reading this is very encouraging; the timing couldn’t be more perfect. ❤️
I left my office job in the nonprofit sector (not exactly corporate, but very similar) a little over two years ago for my art career. I still don't make as much today as I did at my job, but I do make enough to pay bills and meet basic needs without going into debt. It really is possible. The biggest thing I've learned is not to be afraid to ask questions, even if you're worried you'll sound ignorant or naive. Ask Google, ask YouTube, ask ChatGPT, ask a friend, ask your peers. Every time you don't know where to start or how to do something, just ask.
You have no idea what these words mean to me. I quit my corporate job two years ago to follow my calling. I became a yoga teacher to understand my mental health and heal others. And I am about to become a published author because I wanted to become a storyteller. Your writing feels like my story and I am so grateful that you shared it 🙏
Jump the fence. You will never regret it. You don’t have to have a grand plan, just an exit strategy. Things fall into place, they always do. I left city life and a very ‘good’ career in advertising a year ago and i haven’t looked back once. Opportunities have popped up, I just had to create the space for them. Now i’m making art, new friends and living in a different country. Carpe diem.
I love this and it feels timely but I have a real question. Everyone I’ve seen speak on leaving corporate (even some of these comments) made insane salaries where they were probably able to save. What about those of us who NEVER had the corporate success or salary that seems to justify a lot of people’s leaving?? I am 33, but still just at the very beginning of corporate success. But since I was 15 years old my dream has been writing novels. I’m writing one currently and my newsletters here, but my job has gotten so awful after some layoffs that I want to quit too. I have been trying to succeed in the corporate world (of publishing) for years and it never seems to happen. Which means I’m doing things very wrong or it’s really not meant to be. Anyway, I always observe that people made sooooo much money before leaving the corporate world. What about those of us who aren’t 😅 it always makes me second guess my desire to quit. Like wait, I haven’t earned it yet because I don’t make that much money yet 😂 isn’t that ridiculous?! Anyway, thank you for this. 💜 affirmation everywhere.
I am in the process of leaving my nonprofit career for the love of my life, farming and educating people on food traditions and sustainability. It is a huge shift to leave the corporate world of nonprofit especially when you are told day after day that people will die, that communities will crumble, that our social fabric as we know it will be forever torn if you don't work 16 hours a day for a mission. What I have learned in that my time is my commodity and if at the end of the work day, where I have traded my time for a limiting paycheck and worked much more than that agreed upon trade, and I have no emotional energy or physical energy to dream and plan and live my life, I can't maintain the work mission and need to switch to my life mission. Now I just have to trust my skills and my vision enough to take the step and still be able to raise my two kids on my own and get healthcare, etc. All the mediocre things that someone seem like massive roadblocks.
I left 8 years of working in healthcare to become a personal trainer. When you say “knowing,” I know EXACTLY the feeling. It was the best decision of my life. I am my own boss, I make my own hours, and I adore my clients. The grass IS greener.
Wow, this deeply resonates. I currently work as a Content Strategist for a digital agency, and before that as a Copywriter, both in house and on the agency side. I've dreamed of getting my MFA in poetry and dedicating myself fully to the thing that I love. But there's always that internal voice loudly asking me if I'll make enough money, if I'm actually any good, if I deserve to follow my passion even though people would kill for the PTO and insurance and benefits and salary my current job offers. At the same time, I feel disconnected from my clients and annoyed at the weight and importance the work is given when it all feels so meaningless to me.
Lately, there's a sweeter and gentler voice nudging me forward and reminding me that things work out, that being a poet is possible. Maybe that's my knowing? I've started the slow and clunky process of getting back into a writing practice, even if just a few scribbled words a day.
I’ve been in the corporate world my entire career, now 25 years. The idea of leaving that terrifies me. But I’m also at a point I never planned for. Divorced and empty-nested, alone, not especially happy with my job and opportunities after giving them my all. I don’t have a plan, so I’ll just call it a desire.
This couldn't have come at a more "knowing" time. I am being courted by a competitor- which is nice, and makes me feel worthy- but in my soul, I feel like it's time to use my work ethic, energy, ideas, and gumption for myself.
Joy, I could weep! This Friday is my last day at my job and hopefully corporate forever. I quit because the work was slowly driving me insane and like you I decided that the cost (even with a $200K+ salary) was too high. I’ve been working on a novel for a few years and it feels inevitable now that I will finish it and it will be on bookshelves someday (soon, I pray). Other than continuing to work on the novel I don’t know what full-time paying work as a creative looks like, and it is scary. But reading this is very encouraging; the timing couldn’t be more perfect. ❤️
I left my office job in the nonprofit sector (not exactly corporate, but very similar) a little over two years ago for my art career. I still don't make as much today as I did at my job, but I do make enough to pay bills and meet basic needs without going into debt. It really is possible. The biggest thing I've learned is not to be afraid to ask questions, even if you're worried you'll sound ignorant or naive. Ask Google, ask YouTube, ask ChatGPT, ask a friend, ask your peers. Every time you don't know where to start or how to do something, just ask.
You have no idea what these words mean to me. I quit my corporate job two years ago to follow my calling. I became a yoga teacher to understand my mental health and heal others. And I am about to become a published author because I wanted to become a storyteller. Your writing feels like my story and I am so grateful that you shared it 🙏
Jump the fence. You will never regret it. You don’t have to have a grand plan, just an exit strategy. Things fall into place, they always do. I left city life and a very ‘good’ career in advertising a year ago and i haven’t looked back once. Opportunities have popped up, I just had to create the space for them. Now i’m making art, new friends and living in a different country. Carpe diem.
I love this and it feels timely but I have a real question. Everyone I’ve seen speak on leaving corporate (even some of these comments) made insane salaries where they were probably able to save. What about those of us who NEVER had the corporate success or salary that seems to justify a lot of people’s leaving?? I am 33, but still just at the very beginning of corporate success. But since I was 15 years old my dream has been writing novels. I’m writing one currently and my newsletters here, but my job has gotten so awful after some layoffs that I want to quit too. I have been trying to succeed in the corporate world (of publishing) for years and it never seems to happen. Which means I’m doing things very wrong or it’s really not meant to be. Anyway, I always observe that people made sooooo much money before leaving the corporate world. What about those of us who aren’t 😅 it always makes me second guess my desire to quit. Like wait, I haven’t earned it yet because I don’t make that much money yet 😂 isn’t that ridiculous?! Anyway, thank you for this. 💜 affirmation everywhere.
I am in the process of leaving my nonprofit career for the love of my life, farming and educating people on food traditions and sustainability. It is a huge shift to leave the corporate world of nonprofit especially when you are told day after day that people will die, that communities will crumble, that our social fabric as we know it will be forever torn if you don't work 16 hours a day for a mission. What I have learned in that my time is my commodity and if at the end of the work day, where I have traded my time for a limiting paycheck and worked much more than that agreed upon trade, and I have no emotional energy or physical energy to dream and plan and live my life, I can't maintain the work mission and need to switch to my life mission. Now I just have to trust my skills and my vision enough to take the step and still be able to raise my two kids on my own and get healthcare, etc. All the mediocre things that someone seem like massive roadblocks.
I left 8 years of working in healthcare to become a personal trainer. When you say “knowing,” I know EXACTLY the feeling. It was the best decision of my life. I am my own boss, I make my own hours, and I adore my clients. The grass IS greener.
"The convenient lie that I’d never have it better." Ahh yes, this resonates from start to finish. Thank you Joy for sharing your lessons.
I needed this 💝 I am so desperate to leave but feel foolish for wanting to since I’ve only been in the corporate world for 4 years.
A couple of days ago I was actually Googling “how to leave the corporate world” and then this pops up in my inbox. If that’s not serendipitous…
Wow, this deeply resonates. I currently work as a Content Strategist for a digital agency, and before that as a Copywriter, both in house and on the agency side. I've dreamed of getting my MFA in poetry and dedicating myself fully to the thing that I love. But there's always that internal voice loudly asking me if I'll make enough money, if I'm actually any good, if I deserve to follow my passion even though people would kill for the PTO and insurance and benefits and salary my current job offers. At the same time, I feel disconnected from my clients and annoyed at the weight and importance the work is given when it all feels so meaningless to me.
Lately, there's a sweeter and gentler voice nudging me forward and reminding me that things work out, that being a poet is possible. Maybe that's my knowing? I've started the slow and clunky process of getting back into a writing practice, even if just a few scribbled words a day.
I’ve been in the corporate world my entire career, now 25 years. The idea of leaving that terrifies me. But I’m also at a point I never planned for. Divorced and empty-nested, alone, not especially happy with my job and opportunities after giving them my all. I don’t have a plan, so I’ll just call it a desire.
Joy 💗💗 thank you for this. It’s a long-term goal of mine to work for myself and leave the corporate world
Like many others here, this deeply resonates. I also dream of and am planning my escape from corporate!
Joy, I'd love to know if you have always been writing or did you begin when you left corporate America?
This couldn't have come at a more "knowing" time. I am being courted by a competitor- which is nice, and makes me feel worthy- but in my soul, I feel like it's time to use my work ethic, energy, ideas, and gumption for myself.
Thanks for sharing!