I Quit My Corporate Job Without a Career Plan

Yes, you read that right. Sounds crazy, huh? It’s definitely not like me to make rash decisions. I can think back to junior/senior year in high school and remembering that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study in college, let alone what I wanted to be when I grew up. I ended up deciding to study Computer Information Systems because I liked computers and figured I could make good money. Fast forward to the year I graduated college and I earned my Bachelors of Business Administration Degree and I still didn’t really know what I wanted to do or what kind of job I wanted.

I applied for a number of jobs and was hired to do entry level customer service for an accounting software program. I was grateful for the job and opportunity, however with the degree and academic honors I earned it seemed as if I should have had a different career with a different salary.

I worked hard and went above and beyond while in corporate america. This hard work allowed me to climb the corporate ladder and get a number of promotions, raises, and bonuses. Fast forward to 2019…I was making a great salary, with a great company, amazing people, and a job that allowed me to learn new skillsets and provided an atmosphere for me to exercise my talents.

Sounds like the perfect situation right? Except for one thing…I could feel my soul dying on the inside. I was mentally exhausted, running a rat race and chasing money. I had forgotten how to dream. What would the rest of my life look like? I looked around at my office space and my gray cubicle and asked myself, “Am I going to spend the next 35 years in this dark, gray,  cubicle?”

“Am I going to spend the next 35 years of my life in this dark, gray, cubicle?”

The thought of this made me open my eyes wide open to see past my salary and deep into my soul. I was working for another man’s dream and vision and I didn’t really have my own dreams or visions, except to make it to lunch time, 5:00 pm, Fridays, pay day, and hopefully a nice vacation once a year.

Before I knew it, I put in my 2 weeks notice. People asked me, what are you going to do, where are you going? I said I’m leaving so I can figure out what I want to do for the rest of my life, so I can figure out my passions and how to dream again. So I can restore my soul.

The last day of leaving corporate was the best feeling ever! It was like my whole life just opened up and I was free to live, free to be me. I no longer felt like a slave trapped with no way out. I had freedom of time to think clearly. Now what?

To be continued in Part 2.

Melanie Latrelle Grandoit