For years, I had wanted to resign from my job as a business school professor at a small private university. Yet I didn’t have the courage. My salary was decent, my hours were flexible, and I had friendly coworkers.
From the outside, it made no sense for me to leave my job. I was unhappy, but most people seem dissatisfied with their work.
I burned out after layoffs
With recent news stories about quiet quitting, job-hugging, and significant organizational layoffs, coupled with increased daily living expenses, I knew I should be grateful for employment. As someone who teaches Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change, I knew it was not advisable to leave a job without filling a gap in my résumé by securing another position.
Yet I was unhappy and unfulfilled in my role. When a large round of layoffs occurred over a year ago, many of my peers and friends left the organization, leaving me with an unreasonable workload for one person. In addition, my family had unexpected health issues, and I needed to be more at home.
I got burned out. My work was out of alignment, and my personal values did not align with those of the organization.
I dreamed of flying to another universe on the magical, luck-bringing dragon-like creature from the 1980s movie The NeverEnding Story, or purchasing a ticket to Europe or a beach destination and going on an extended vacation.
I didn’t want a life of regrets
Life is short, and many of us are living on autopilot. We dream of retirement, but for most of us, that is many years away. I did not want to look back on my life and have regrets.
So, I quit. When I sent off my resignation letter, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders, and it felt so good.
My husband and I figured out our new budget and made some lifestyle adjustments to allow me to re-energize, spend quality time with my family, and figure out my next professional steps.
I have seen many stories of people who quit their jobs and travel the world. While this sounds dreamy, being a mom of three active kids, having a husband with a non-remote job, and older parents I want to support, the Eat, Pray, Love lifestyle was not in the cards for me.
I’ve been spending more time with my kids
Since I quit, I have been leaning into work and experiences I enjoy. I am writing my next book, have been teaching as an adjunct, earned a new executive coaching certification, and have done some corporate speaking and consulting. I am relaunching my business and am having fun.
My kids and I have also been doing some budget-friendly traveling. I have a 4th grader, and we have been using the Every Kid Outdoors program, sponsored by the National Parks, which gives 4th graders and their families free entry to national parks.
Courtesy of the author
We visited family in California, drove to Yellowstone National Park, and did some amazing hikes. We also took a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, where we saw Old Faithful and learned about the geothermal activity.
I helped my son publish his first children’s book, “Tommy the Tap-Dancing T-Rex,” which then inspired my older son to finish his book, too.
I work from our kitchen table
While I am not yet earning the same amount of money I earned in my salaried job, I am following the energy of what lights me up.
My new office is at the kitchen table. While my workspace may not be glamorous, I appreciate the flexibility to pick up my kids from school and have my dog by my side.
Change can be scary, but sometimes it’s the push we need for growth.
I still struggle with career and identity, juggling both professional and personal identities and supporting my family doing work I enjoy, and being in the role of a parent, daughter, and spouse.
I hope quitting was the right move and am trusting that the right opportunities will reveal themselves as long as I keep showing up and putting in consistent action.
We get this one life, so it’s up to us to make the most of it. I am redefining my definition of success to include a life well lived, both professionally and personally.
