This is Why I Left my Corporate Job

It has been a couple of months since I announced my departure from the corporate world. There are times I still can’t believe it. I’d be lying if I said it has been easy. There have been some ups and downs and there have been a couple of times I’ve even asked myself if I did the right thing. BUT I think it’s natural as a human being to wonder ‘what if’ sometimes. With all that said, I KNOW I did the right thing. I have zero regrets and overall have not been happier!

The Truth. The Real Truth.

Since graduating University I have always worked a 9-5 job. I shared a screen shot of my resume that was last updated over 10 years ago. Don’t laugh! I know resumes are pretty much dead now, but I was at the last company for nearly 13 years and never revisited my resume after landing my position on the downtown Toronto sales team. I loved my job and I believe I was good at it! People still ask me how I could leave that role knowing it offered a lot of flexibility, great pay, lots of perks and the role itself was still very mentally stimulating. Well, here’s the truth: I just knew it was time.

I started working on No Tummy Mommy on my first mat leave with Harper. It was never really meant to be ‘a thing’. It started as a passion project; I enjoyed helping moms reach their fitness goals and work toward being healthier and happier mothers. No Tummy Mommy continued to evolve and I did too. I returned to work with the same drive and work ethic, but I couldn’t deny that there was something inside me telling me it was time to close this chapter of my life. But I just never felt ready and always thought there was never going to be a perfect time. But while on my 18-month mat leave with Noa, I just knew. I knew that if I went back to my job that I wouldn’t be truly happy. It was at this time that I couldn’t suppress that inner voice. It kept me up at night and it became all I ever thought about. Don’t get me wrong, I am still very grateful for all of the professional experience I have gained over the years, but I absolutely love where I stand today.

This is a screenshot of the first page of my old school resume that was last updated in 2006!!

This is Me Today.

I still spend a lot of days in front of my computer and a lot of time on calls and social media. HOWEVER, I love that I own my time. I can stop “work” and take Noa to the park or pick up Harper from school at 3:10 every day if I wanted. I can grab lunch with my hubby or work out midday just because I feel like it. We are also very lucky to have help here at home, but I love that the flexibility I have is unlike that I would have working for someone else.

In full transparency, I still haven’t figured out my no-flinch response to: “What do you do?” For years I was accustomed to saying my regular spiel from my last job that I often get tongue tied now when asked. But the bottom line is that I love what I do and feel so good about the decisions I’ve made this year. I am so thankful that I have a supportive husband who pushed me to listen to that inner voice of mine.

Final Takeaway

I should mention that the decision to leave my corporate job was not made overnight. It was a hot topic here at home for a long time and I went back and forth a lot. I did tons of digging internally and wrote pages and pages in my journal before deciding this was the next chapter of my life. After many days and nights, everything pointed to moving on and focusing on this … on ME! We put a solid plan in place and then the ball started rolling and I never looked back. My advice to others who are looking to do the same is to always have a plan. When they say “jump” or “take the leap” I believe there should be a disclaimer in fine print that states “with a plan in place”.

It has been such a breath of fresh air to feel so aligned to what I am doing. I even allow for well-deserved me-time without that guilt hanging over my head. I have never felt so inspired and connected as I do right now! It’s the best feeling and I wish all of you could really know what I’m talking about here. It feels THAT good! It has now become one of my goals in life to help others step into their own truth. I haven’t figured out how exactly, but my creative juices are flowing so stay tuned!