51 Comments

This is SO EXCITING Carolyn! I can't wait to hear where you journey takes you but more importantly, how it shapes you!

I made the jump from my corporate job 8 years ago and don't regret it AT ALL (except the money a little lo).

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Thank you Jamal!! Hahah I felt that last parenthetical but yes ZERO regrets so far and I am hopeful it will continue to stay that way!

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Hello from a fellow software engineer turned illustrator! I have never related more to a post, especially the part about being on call 😂. Congratulations on taking this leap (and the time for your art practice)!! I look forward to following your journey and cheering you on! 🎉

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Oooh Jenni, lovely to connect! Congrats to you too, and happy to connect/chat further if you'd like to support each other's journeys :)

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Great to find out more folks talking about this! (I am on the second year of a similar sabbatical to yours--which was originally supposed to be one year!) Looking forward to seeing more of your work and how things go!

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Thank you so much! And amazing Ginger, how is year two going for you?

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It's been going much better than I expected. I thought the break could just be so I could take my time and recharge my batteries. Along the way things started leading to other opportunities and it's really giving me the space to create an alternate life.

I really thought I'd end up grovelling and looking for design or web-related work again after the first year, but I have yet to look back. It's been a big learning curve, but it's been really rewarding and good for me!

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Congratulations, Carolyn! This is so wonderful. Thank you so much for writing this, and sharing all the details of your story. It helps those of us who can’t yet leap. Please continue to let us know how you’re doing, and sharing your art.

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All my best wishes for happiness in this new adventure!

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Thanks for writing this!!! I especially appreciate all the details you shared about your own journey. It's incredibly relatable, and I don't think we talk about our struggles with corporate life out in the open enough. This was so inspiring to read. <3 <3 <3

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Thank you Elaine!! You're next :P

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Always so impressed by how you follow your intuition. A stable paycheck is nice in this capitalist society we live in, but that alone is nowhere near enough to live a fulfilling life. So proud of you and can’t wait to see what this unlocks!

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wahh i love you!!

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Ahhhh, you did it! So excited for you and can't wait to see what you do next!

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You did it! I recall when I also quit for real (more than a decade ago), it was a strange feeling. I was so pumped, I woke up the next morning before sunrise (I'm usually a night owl), and even get to watched the dawn on my new freedom. Since then a lot have happened. Up and down and everything in between. I'm now working part time for a corporate and that seems to be an acceptable balance for me for now :)

You're wise to keep your art true and fulfilling rather than compromising. I'm rooting for you!

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That's so lovely Rachel! I love hearing about how you went back part time and are continuing to experiment with what works for you.

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You go, girl! I did the same thing and I’ve never been happier.

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Thank you Lisi-Tana! Go you too!

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Brava!!! Made that leap this year too. Just a few months in and feeling like it was the best gift I could ever give myself. I hope you feel that too (even when self-doubt rears its ugly head - tell it to pipe down and trust). Here’s to healing and brave art making!

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Congrats to you too! It has already given me so much gratitude and presence that I didn't have room to feel before :) and absolutely yes to shushing self-doubt lol. Cheers to us!

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Congrats Carolyn! I'm excited for you. I've also had the desire to deepen my yoga practice and to do a 200 hour training. It might happen next year for me, we'll see!

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Oooh Matt so exciting! Happy to chat through your decision if you'd like!

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I loved this, Carolyn! I also left a stable paycheck/career to pursue art/writing, and while it has its speed bumps, I haven't regretted it. Can't wait to see where your journey takes you!

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Thank you Haley! Inspired by your journey <3 and feel a lot of those same ups and downs too, like the Instagram instant gratification trap you shared about. But still absolutely worth navigating and continuing on!

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Yes!! All that to say, here to talk about it always. It’s such a weird and sometimes lonely path!

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thank you for sharing! Excited for you. I found yoga teacher training to be such a transformative experience and a creative practice all of its own - i have no doubt it will intersect wonderfully with your deeper pursuit of art during this new chapter!

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Ooh Emily, you've done one too? Would love to chat further about it :) and thank you!!

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Wow, you really shared deeply about your process. That takes courage and bravery. I celebrate your new transition. I too am in a transition, a bit different, but this is life in these times. I’m excited for your decision to reach towards a creative wholeness that is sure to follow.

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Thank you Linda! Wishing you love and light through your transition as well <3

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Congrats for making the leap! Bookmarking this -- currently looking for a path out of corporate world, for some of the same reasons you mentioned. So excited for you :)

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oooh yay Joann, let me know if you ever want to chat more in depth about it!

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