I went from earning $173,000 a year to making $6 one month. I don't regret quitting.

I moved from Korea to Toronto successful 2020 arsenic an in-house merchandise designer for a tech company, often creating mobile apps and websites.

The paycheck was awesome — I was making astir $173,000 to do a occupation that allowed maine to person a reasonably patient work-life balance. I wasn't moving 80 hours per week. Most weeks, I clocked astir 40 hours, moving mostly 9 to 5. Since my income was much than capable to unrecorded on, I was besides capable to recreation erstwhile I had clip off, ne'er needing to interest astir money aliases budgets.

I decided to discontinue my job

While I wouldn't opportunity I loved the work, I liked it. The occupation was astir making logical decisions, and past convincing stakeholders of my decisions done storytelling.

It was my dream job arsenic an immigrant, and it was sustainable. I could person carried connected moving it, but I had besides been doing contented creation connected the broadside and had conscionable signed a book deal. There weren't capable hours successful the time to do each three. It would person been for illustration having 3 full-time jobs.

Debating which 1 to fto spell of, I decided to discontinue the astir unchangeable of the 3 — product design. Writing a book was very important to me, and I knew contented creation would support the promotion of the book.

But I was hesitant to wantonness my only employed root of work. The thought was really scary. I retrieve having truthful overmuch worry successful the weeks starring up to my resignation successful June 2026.

Was it a correction to time off a consistent paycheck successful the mediate of economical uncertainty? Would I beryllium capable to re-enter the marketplace should I alteration my mind?

I'm moving for myself for a year

I made a woody pinch myself to effort and quell the worry that this was a imperishable decision. For 1 year, I'd activity for myself — pursuing content creation and book penning — and past I'd determine if I wanted to spell backmost to the firm world.

Sure, I mightiness not beryllium capable to spell backmost to the aforesaid institution aliases make the aforesaid net if I take to return, but I person a résumé pinch tons of examples of my activity should I determine to return to being a merchandise designer.

Since resigning, each morning, I rhythm to a gym and activity out, and past caput to an agency and constitute from noon until 5 p.m. I fresh successful contented creation passim the day.

I'm hoping to return my penning connected the roadworthy and recreation this twelvemonth too.

I'm rushing less

Rushing less, I consciousness for illustration I'm existing much successful the world, noticing myself and the world astir me, choosing what I want to capable my clip with.

I had saved money, had a supportive partner, and knew it was imaginable connected a applicable level to springiness up my salary. But it hasn't been easy financially. Content creation payments are inconsistent. In July, I only made $6 because location was a hold successful the contented creation costs system. I've had portions of my book advance, but the income from my self-employment fluctuates a lot. Some months, I gain zero dollars and different months, I gain moreover much than I utilized to successful my 9 to 5.

I've had to mentally accommodate to inconsistent pay, and alternatively than viewing it arsenic a threat, seeing it arsenic the reality of self-employment.

Another trouble has been mounting boundaries. I could activity 24 hours a time arsenic my ain leader because location is ever much I tin do. When I was employed, I'd unopen my machine astatine the extremity of the time and beryllium done. But being self-employed, my mind is ever ticking complete astir work. I've had to get strict pinch myself to guarantee I do person breaks.

Three months in, I'm astir ever assured that I made the correct determination to return this twelvemonth out, though I do sometimes get shaken for a short clip erstwhile group online show maine I've made a immense error.

If I hadn't taken this chance to prosecute different dream of moving for myself, I would person regretted it.

But who knows what will travel of it.

Even if I do return to the firm world, this twelvemonth wouldn't person been a mistake. I would person had the acquisition of leaving thing that felt bully and unchangeable for the unknown. That's a instruction I deliberation is important to person learned.