Confessions of a spoiled brat or why I quit my job.

I quit my job.

Did I get fired? Nope. Do I have something else lined up? Nope. Do I have a plan? Nope. Am I insane? Maybe. But I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

It wasn’t an easy one to make. I was taught by my parents, who both worked at their respective companies for 20+ years, that stability in life is incredibly important. I am not really wired that way but still, hearing that for most of your life leaves a mark on you, whether you want to admit that you care about what your parents will think about your shenanigans or not.

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Also, I came to my current city specifically for this job and failure was not an option. So as a 20-something with an unlimited contract in hand, I mulled over every pro and con, every “what if” – what if I don’t find another job, what if I do and it’s worse than my current one, what if I could be doing something completely different, what if I’m making a mistake – for several long weeks. Until I had a breakthrough. I can’t possibly know all those things before I actually go through with whatever I decide. There will never be enough data, that can be taken into consideration. I could keep adding variables, excuses why now is not a good time to leave, and possible scenarios infinitely and drive myself mad in the process.

Taking a detour or changing your once taken path in life is ok. Comfort and routine are mischievous things, that sneak up on you and make you feel at ease even when you don’t fully realize it. It is easy to get stuck in a place you are not fully happy in just because it is a well-known territory that you are already used to. And stepping out of it requires making effort and leaving your comfort zone.

To be fair, it was not a bad job. I was doing things that matched my background, I could see results of my work and the product growing. The time at the company was well spent, I liked my coworkers and what I was doing. Yet, it wasn’t a place I saw myself staying in for years to come. It felt like at some point I’ve had hit a wall, that I couldn’t get past in terms of work happiness and growth. I wasn’t happy anymore.

Doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results works only with rolling a dice. And even then the possibilities are limited. If you want something to change, you need to make it happen. Otherwise, you will be stuck in a permanent “what if” waiting game. Here is the thing: life is short. Too short to wait around for things that actually might never happen. Changing your job situation or the place you live probably will not magically make all your problems go away at a snap of the fingers but it is a step, even if a small one, to something possibly better. Take it.