Hello. I would like to re-introduce myself. My name is Christine. I am a full-time writer and photographer. I used to work in corporate America, until I quit my job. Yesterday.
It is very nice to meet you.
Yesterday after I sent my blog post to the internets about my impending resignation, I called my boss and gave her the bad news (I was working from home in Boston, she lives out of state). She was completely professional about it and at the end of the call I said something a little strange. “Ok Thanks!” Yes, I thanked my boss after I quit. I practically chirped at her. I really was trying my best to sound serious and somber, but I betrayed myself. After I hung up, I said, “tee hee!” then I ran into the bedroom and jumped on the bed. And yes, I am a five year old.
Suddenly everything has changed.
I talked to my friend who had voiced some concerns about me quitting my job (“What if the economy changes…”) and she congratulated me. Seemingly the hour long lectures about my future are over.
My anxiety about quitting? Gone. Any fears about my choice? Washed away. For whatever token significance this act held, it hasn’t sent me into a free fall. The sensation is closer to being untethered, buoyant.
My husband offered to go out to dinner to celebrate and I finally fully realized our new state. No more paychecks are coming in. While I’ve been good at saving, suddenly I realized that I don’t have that financial flexibility to splurge. Belts are officially tightened.
Since there is no going back, guess it’s time to move forward.
Have you ever quit your job for uncertain waters? What was it like?
May 29th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Dear Christine,
I stumbled upon your blog and I said to myself, Perfect!, I’m not the only one who quit their job and feel really happy about it. I’ve never been this happy and free. I told my boss that I will resign on 12 June (that’s the Philippine Independence Day) so at least, for me, alluding to, something monumental. I am temping in an office, doing the same proposals, photocopies, etc and it really made me miserable. I saw myself three years ago and it made me sad what the daily routines made me. It sucked the life out of me. I used to write poems, and prolific at that, and now, it takes me months to finish a single strophe, and after some wrestling with the muses,I end up throwing the whole thing. Without work, I can now write the whole day, and maybe finish a collection.
I wish you good luck on your plans of travel. Uncertainty is so exciting!
Cheers!
Michael
May 29th, 2008 at 9:10 am
WOOOHOOOO!!! I’m SO happy for you; the leap is now official!
Go, Christine, go! And don’t look back!
Julies last blog post..Do You Roux?
May 29th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Michael: Congrats and welcome. One of the best things I’ve found is connecting with other people who are either going through a similar thing or have already done it!
May 29th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
That’s awesome! I’m completely jealous. I hope to have guts to do the same in about a year. I need to save up some more cash before I do.
Chads last blog post..Have a Great Weekend!
May 29th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Way to go! You did it! I’m so excited for you.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Hi Chad! Well the piece you don’t see here is that it took me a while to save up and get the nerve to do it too. I have no doubt that you’ll get there soon enough. Checking out your blog now… nice stuff!
Hi NP– Yay! Thanks!
June 1st, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hi,
I quit my job last week also. I had transferred to Texas to work in one of our company offices and now really miss my family back east. I thought the job wss what I was about, its not and I am going forward and will look for another job.
Katie
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Hi Christine,
Congrats on quitting! I also left my job after graduating from Boston University, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Even though not having a steady income stream is sort of scary, living by the seat of my pants has a certain exhilaration. Oddly enough, being unable to spend so much is actually quite liberating, at least for me - it leaves me with more time to spend doing the things I really wanted to do.
Enjoy your travels!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Julie: Thanks! Yay!
Katie: Congrats on taking a stand on what you belief in!
Han: Thank you! And that’s a great point, the gift of time, nothing could be better…
June 4th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I quit my corporate job last June. I felt like I was high, just floating on a worry free cloud, for at least a month. Once I started traveling, the anxieties of planning balanced me out again but for the 10 months I wasn’t working, I ate better, slept better, read more, and just felt healthier and happier. Truly cathartic.
Another point, I traveled all over Asia and the US (hiked the Appalachian Trail, became a snow bum in Utah, saw almost all of my old friends scattered around), and it was far less expensive than I thought would have been. Especially as a twenty four year old, with a low standard of living, a year of travel can be done for far less than most people expect.
I’m now working again but I’ve got my memories to sustain me as well as plans to do something similar in a few years. Let me just say, Congratulations and I think this will be the best thing you’ve ever done.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Congratulations! Feels great, doesn’t it? I quit my job in December to work full time on my websites but as I was already earning a bit of money I can’t say it was totally uncertain. I wasn’t really earning enough to live on at the time but have since boosted it to a liveable income. Yay!
It feels great knowing that I’ve managed (so far) to make a go of a business I started from scratch and can work from anywhere. I doubt you’ll find yourself looking back. Best of luck!
June 10th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Congratulations, Christine! I quit a job back in 2000 and took 5 months off. Two of them were to travel through Europe, extensively, the other three were a mix of more local travel, spending time with friends, and more importantly, spending time with myself.
I’m so glad I ’stumbled’ onto your blog… it is fantastic and very inspiring! I am starting my own blog about travel (still morphing into what it is going to really be) and hope that I too will be writing about the places I love on a more full-time basis.
Can’t wait to read all about Spain!
June 27th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Wow… that’s so great Christine! I dream of the day I will finally do it!!! I just stumbled onto your blog and have not stopped reading! I’ve been wanting to get out of my job - an attorney at a large firm with a large salary - since at least the last 4 years!!! Only this year did I have an epiphany that I want to do what I’ve always wanted to do : take a break adn live overseas for at least 6 months, see what happens, see whether my life will be much happier. I keep thinking of how time flies and how I’ll regret it if I never try. Of course some of my friends and parents think I’m nuts to give up my career and a highly paid job… bu tthey dont get it! My only challenge now is HOW to find a way to earn a living while I’m gone. Or what activity to take up… But I’m determined, I’m quitting my job this year (before they push me out!)… make my year end bonus, and quit… How did you find your freelance jobs as a writer/photographer?