Diaries of a Twenty-Something: I Quit Corporate

This month, on my twenty-eighth birthday, I quit my corporate job. I felt stuck for a long time and I finally did something about it.

Over the last seven years, I worked at a handful of tech companies in an attempt to find a good fit — a big one, an old one, a new one, an exciting one. With each new endeavor, I went in with an open heart hoping that it would be right. Each time, I’d reach a point where I knew it wasn’t.

So, I started to explore. What did I really want to do?

The only way to know for sure was to test and learn. Quarantine gave me the perfect opportunity to do just that. I started a blog, a brand, and a podcast. I wrote songs, screenplays, shorts, and even began to write a novel. It was through that creative exploration that I saw how much I valued storytelling. Whether it was long-form content like a blog or audio like a podcast or visual like a film or TikTok, I loved telling a story.

Next, I needed to figure out if I could make that a career. I researched, networked, and dm’d a lot of people. How’d you get started? How did you find your “thing”? Is it possible to make money doing this?

I got a lot of data points from a lot of different people. It was becoming clear that there were other paths out there. The next hurdle was figuring out which one to choose, and if I felt deserving enough to walk down it. It was a time of serious self-doubt. I believed my interests were “hobbies” or “little side projects,” nothing strong enough to make into a lucrative career. I questioned if it was smart to turn a passion into a job. I worried that I’d hate it, just like I hated my current path. Those fears resulted in a bit of a spiral moment.

Next, I sought out a therapist. It was necessary in more ways than I expected. After almost a year of weekly sessions, I’m now seeing the impact of our time together. She helps me break down the walls I created for myself, most of which I didn’t even fully recognize. She coaches me to identify my limiting beliefs and guides me towards building a stronger sense of self. Most notably, she validates the process I’m going through and encourages me to persevere because my passion matters. With her help, I’m shifting my mindset and it’s exciting to imagine how much further I can go because of it.

Now, for the first time, I believe that anything is possible. I have confidence in my abilities and trust that I’m being drawn to this creative world for a reason. I think that if we’re so lucky to find joy in something, we need to follow it. Nothing is promised in this life. But if at the end, I can say that I followed what made me happy, I think the adventure will be worth it. Onward and upward — I’ll keep you posted.