Phew! After 1.5 years of contemplating, going back and forth, tears (a whole lot of them), and venting sessions, I finally left my corporate digital marketing job. In a pandemic.

The Backstory

I started this particular job back in July 2017, and by my 2nd year there, I was ready to find a new job. Mainly because I realized I wanted something that was a bit more creative than what I was doing, which was more data tech focused.  I began actively seeking out other opportunities, which culminated in a few discovery and in person interviews, but nothing stuck. Feeling discouraged, I stopped applying and figured I could just ‘suck it up” with my current job. Although I wasn’t too thrilled about it, the decision allowed me to focus my efforts on my blogging and influencing career a bit more.

Fast forward to January 2020. I had just come back home from my trip to Toronto one evening. As I was in my room prepping for the work day, I broke down crying. Work hadn’t even started yet and I was already dreading it. I prayed that night that God would give me the strength to keep going. I hated the way I felt and as much as I was trying to suck it up, it finally got to a point where I knew I had to make a serious plan for my exit, so I started the job hunt again.

Then the pandemic hit.

My Game Plan

I initially thought that by March, I would leave. Well, March came, and then it went. Although I was still applying to jobs, applying during a pandemic is much more difficult. And as mentioned earlier, I didn’t want just any other job. There was a specific position I was wanting, and for me, there was no point in leaving my current job for another position that I didn’t feel passionate about. The defeat started to creep in again.

But during this time, I knew that no matter what, I would be leaving by the end of the year, so I became more aggressive with my savings goal. I knew that at the very minimum, I wanted at least 6-7 months worth of expenses covered once I finally made my exit. I had already been actively saving starting back in 2019, but in order for me to hit my goal, I had to kick it up a notch and be a bit more strategic. I increased my percentage of savings from my bi-weekly check to 20% (up from 15% in 2019). The content creator/influencer work I was doing also helped in hitting my saving goal, as I was able to put a good chunk of that income into my savings.

Finally, by mid October, I had hit my savings goal (and simultaneously booked the largest campaign of my influencer career…ahh!). I had over half a year worth of living expenses accounted for (in addition to funds that I was able to accumulate through my 401k account). Feeling more confident (and still nervous), I spoke to my supervisors and gave my 2 week notice.

So, why did I quit my job now?

Since mid-2019, I was pretty miserable. I felt stuck. And that feeling sucked. I would cry at least twice a month about my job. My sister would see how unhappy I was and as much as I tried, I just couldn’t shake the feeling. There was only so much I could mentally and emotionally give and my tank was officially past E. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but after every work day, I felt defeated, and truth be told, I did not want to feel that way anymore.

But, could I actually go through with it? Was I being irrational? Would I be letting people down or would they judge me for this decision?

Those were the thoughts that constantly flooded my mind (I’m an over thinker). Despite these thoughts, my gut (God) told me that it was the time. Deciding to leave was step 1 in putting myself first. It was step 1 in choosing to live in faith rather than in fear. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was actually taking agency and choosing my own happiness vs. what I thought I should be doing. While the Type A in me doesn’t believe in making irrational decisions, I was and am ready to exhibit some crazy faith. I may not have all the pieces of the puzzle figured out, but that’s exactly why God is there, to fill in the areas where my own personal strengths end.

Am I opposed to getting another job?

Not necessarily. In the present moment, I am not looking to get back into the traditional work force anytime soon. But I can’t say that Seyi 10 years from now would feel that way. If the right opportunity were ever to present itself and it was in alignment with what I needed to accomplish in that season of my life, I would absolutely take it. I have learned to not live my life in the world of absolutes. It’s ok for me to change my mind on something. It’s ok for me to pivot. Knowing that nothing is necessarily permanent has been one of the most freeing thoughts I’ve had.

Will I ever go back to my current job?

Never say never. As of this post being written, the answer is no. But, the door has been left open for me to come back, which I am very grateful for. To that point, my coworkers and immediate supervisors were great. While working, they were aware of my passion for content creating and I was able to attend events during my lunch breaks, take time off for photoshoots, and I never felt uncomfortable being active on social media while still holding my position. I’m grateful because the flexibility I was given allowed me to really push myself within my content creating career.

So what’s next?

Taking this content creator and influencer life full time! Exploring other interests and talents (acting, modeling, hosting, and public speaking), working on some business ideas (there’s a lot of them lol) and embracing whatever other opportunities come my way. So far, I’ve been enjoying myself. I have noticed a change in my demeanor and my overall emotional wellbeing. I also feel more secure, which is a surprising feeling considering I won’t be getting a steady bi weekly check lol.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. I still 100% standby full time jobs. I understand that not everyone’s goal is to be an entrepreneur of sorts, and that is 1000% ok. I have a whole tab on career talks if you’d like to hear more of my perspective with working while juggling a side hustle. Thank you for reading this post!

Until next time…