I had worked all my life for this. The hours of studying. The long hours at work. Dealing and putting up with all sorts of personalities.
And for some reason…I decided to walk away from the permanent corporate job life. At least for now.
Some people thought I was crazy. Why would I leave a six-figure job with full benefits and paid vacation? But to most of my family and friends who know me well, it wasn’t a shock. I had expressed my unhappiness over the years at a dream that was no longer coming to fruition.
So I made the bold decision to walk away from my (with two weeks’ notice, of course) with no other permanent job lined up. I know it’s something that a lot of people dream of doing but it took careful planning and preparation along the way. I didn’t just wake up and decide to quit. So if you are thinking of taking the same course of action, here are reasons I had to consider when deciding to leave my job.
My health was starting to suffer
Stress-related illnesses are a real thing. Working in a high stress environment can take a toll on your body and your mind. Throw in a chronic illness that flares up under stress and you have a recipe for disaster. With my autoimmune illness Hashimoto thyroiditis, additional external stress can severely limit the amount of the already limited energy you have to get through the day. The stress level at work was causing me a lot of inflammation pain throughout my body, tension headaches, increased fatigue, and even hives. I knew that if I stayed much longer, I would be in serious trouble with my health. Having left, I am no longer dealing with those symptoms and I can focus on taking care of my body to make sure I am operating at my optimum level.
The tradeoffs of having a corporate job vs freelancing were not worth it to me
For many people, the idea of a steady paycheck, paid vacation, healthcare, and other employee benefits are appealing. But then you get laid off – or watch your colleagues get laid off. Benefits start getting reduced or becoming more expensive. Pay increase freezes. Not being able to take the 15 precious days of PTO (typical for many US employees who have been at a job less than 5 years) when you want to or worse – being on-call during your vacation and having to wave your family on ahead while you deal with an issue. Over the years, I have watched corporate jobs become less and less appealing based on what I have experienced. I would rather bear more of the cost – especially healthcare – in return for flexibility and control. It’s not that you necessarily work less hours – it’s that you are able to work how and when you want to.
I’m not cut out for the traditional corporate world
All of my life, I have just wanted to fit in and blend – not stick out or rock the boat. But as I reflect on my life so far, I realize how I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. As much as I have always wanted to fit in, I also seem to have a knack for doing things my own way. I tried being a part of corporate life and fitting into the standards but found it less than rewarding for me. I was constantly switching companies (before it became acceptable to do so) to find a better fit for me. In the end, I realized that it’s me that doesn’t fit in.
My life goals have changed
When I first started my career back in 1999, I had visions of climbing the corporate ladder and being in the top of my field (accounting). But so much happened in the world with respect to accounting and business over that time – tech bust, Enron and the fall of Arthur Andersen, the introduction of Sarbanes-Oxley, the financial crisis of 2008, health care (need I say more?), Amazon’s effect on how we do, well, everything. The landscape has changed dramatically, in ways we couldn’t have predicted.
Now that I am in my 40s, my priorities have re-focused and become laser clear. I want to be able to spend more time with my friends and family. I want to be able to have the freedom to pick and choose the projects I want to work on that are meaningful to me and not someone else’s agenda. I want my life to be focused on serving other and make a difference in this world. These are all things I have valued my entire life. It’s just that now I know what I need to do in order to live my life through this lens.
I had set up myself financially so that walking away was feasible
Walking away from a job is something that I couldn’t have fathomed a decade ago. I was debt into debt, little savings, and struggling to pay my monthly bills. Then I had a come-to-Jesus moment that meant I needed to decide if I was going to keep living the way everyone else does or I was ready and willing to make a change that would pay off in the future. My now-future self thanks me for making the latter decision.
After struggling through job loss, foreclosure, and finally becoming 100% debt free, I was able to put myself in a position that allowed me to have options. The ability to choose whether or not I wanted to live in a high cost of living area. The ability to pay for things with cash and being able to sleep at night, knowing those purchases weren’t being increased with interest. And the ability to walk away from a job and a career that was not right for me without being trapped with financial obligation. Getting my finances in order was the only way that I was able to make that decision with confidence and without worry.
Do I write this post as a way to pat myself on the back? No. Am I saying that everyone should just pack up their corporate jobs and become freelancers and entrepreneurs? Certainly not! What I do hope that you get out of my story is that taking the time and the effort to work on your financial life is worth it in the end. It can allow you options beyond your wildest dreams. It can literally change your life. All you have to do is take the first step, one dollar at a time.
Awesome! I wish you the best in all you do!
Thank you! ❤️
Great post. I’m retiring in 33 days for many of the same reasons. I’m 47 and work in finance. The recession of 2008 made me realize I didn’t want to do this forever, and I made myself a plenty. Money = options. Congratulations to you on a well earned break!
Thank you! And congratulations! It warms my heart when I see others are able to have the option to walk away as well.
Congratulations, Jessica! You are wise beyond your years. For the reasons you stated I walked away from the corporate world because it is not worth it. I love working as an accounting consultant. There are times when I have a clients that demand more of my time than I like, but those are few and far between
Good luck to you!
Thank you Barbara for those encouraging words!
“It can allow you options beyond your wildest dreams. It can literally change your life. All you have to do is take the first step, one dollar at a time.”
Love this!! My wife and I have taken these steps recently and having breathing room to explore other options has been life changing. Thank you so much for sharing and best luck in all you do!!
Yay!! That’s awesome! Best to you and your wife on your financial journey!
It’s amazing how well you know yourself! I wish I have that level of self awareness when I’m in my 40s. You’re really lucky you were able to walk away from that job. Not everyone has that option.
Yes! I am very blessed. Especially grateful to my immigrant grandparents and mother who sacrificed to help make this a reality.
Yes!!!!! I am so happy and excited for you!! Let’s reconnect soon.
Definitely! Thanks Jim!
Priorities change as you get older/more experienced. But as your post so beautifully summed up… money isn’t everything. I could certainly make a lot more money than I am now if I took a job in Manhattan, but the stress levels and the extra 3+ hours a day commuting would absolutely hurt my mental and physical health. Now I have a good job, work 8:30 to 5 and am home in 25 minutes to be with my wife and kids. What good is making a TON of money if you’re too exhausted/depressed/angry/frustrated to even enjoy it?
Good for you and best of luck to you!
Love that you made this change for you and your family!
I did much the same in 1998 at age 34 for exactly the same reasons. I wasn’t wired to handle the corporate high tech environment, and the resulting stress was beginning to show in my mental and physical stress.
I spent the 5 yrs leading up to the change paying off the house and saving enough cash to cover at least 2 years of living expenses. My first boss at a small startup years earlier had counseled me to always have “Walking Money” to be able to “walk out of the door.” (Kester was too Baptist to even say “F-U money.”) The fund was aptly named.
I literally walked away (2,180 miles in the form of an Appalachian Trail Thruhike) in March 1998. It was the first of many long adventures I would space between W2 and 1099 periods of work. I also began doing strategic real estate investment during the 2001 & 2008 recessions.
These days my partner and I live on far less than most of our “professional corporate” friends spend. We do some very short term consult gigs for former employers usually to maintain legacy systems. We live in a small condo in an amazing city with time to hike and ski on weekdays when trails and resorts aren’t crowded. We drive an older fuel efficient, high mileage vehicle that is substantially less expensive to insure and license. (I have always love doing car maintenance and repair.)
“I’m so happy right now,” my partner said after a day of hiking and dinner at a dive Mediterranean restaurant found while walking back to the car on an evening this past summer. He says that a lot these days. It makes me very happy, too.
There will always be uncertainty in life. I just prefer to be the person who makes the decisions in those difficult moments.
I love your story! This I how I want my life to be – more enjoyable living with less stuff.
Congrats on being able to saving enough to allow you to walk away from your job. I work for an international organization in the US and am from an African country. I don’t think I can be able to walk away from my job, not because I haven’t saved enough, but because I have to take care of my parents who are in their old age. My siblings currently don’t work, so I am responsible for almost all of my parents’ financial needs. Do I wish they had pensions/social protection so that I didn’t have to take care of them financially? Yes, but I am grateful that my job allows me to give them a better life and house (semi-mansion which I built for them) than they have had in more than 40 years.
Way to go! Your blog post is an inspiration to others! So glad you had the courage to make the bold step and the wisdom to do it!
Thank you!
Congratulations! Very inspiring. I recently hit my “higher-income years” and as tempting as it is to walk away, I am just not ready yet. I work in finance (healthcare side) and I intersect with our accounting folks often! One of my colleagues Arthur Andersen for that mess.
You mentioned healthcare, what are you planning on doing there? Do you know how much that will cost? Thanks for sharing!
Max
Hi Max! Thank you for your kind comments. I have a healthcare plan through BCBS in the state that I live. I looked into healthcare sharing plans but with my pre-existing conditions, the sharing plans wouldn’t have covered a lot of my expenses.
Wishing you well on your journey!
Good on you!
I’m a teacher and was starting to feel a bit burned-out last year, so decided to go part-time this year and I’ve dropped down to 3 days/per week. The school year here in Australia starts today for teachers, (the kids start in 2 days) so I’m looking forward to a far better work/life balance.
🙂
Yay! That’s awesome! So glad you were able to go PT. Teaching is no joke – it take a lot out of you!
Your line, “I was constantly switching companies (before it became acceptable to do so) to find a better fit for me. In the end, I realized that it’s me that doesn’t fit in,” had tears rolling down my cheeks. This is exactly me! Even though I’m a (technical) writer, I have never been able to articulate this, at least not to the point where I believed it myself. I’m mid-50s now, and have the means, though hubby still wants me to wait 5 more years. It is damaging my psyche.
I always said I’d run a B&B “in retirement” and we’ve just bought our first property to slowly morph that direction. I have every intention of speeding up that process. Life is too short!