By | Angela Choi | thoughtcatalog.com
A few years ago, I quit my job without having another one lined up. Prior to quitting, I had felt dissatisfied and stuck at work; however, the thought of quitting without a safety net left me feeling scared. As a result, I continued to stay, even though I was miserable – as soon as I got to the office, I was counting down to 5 p.m., and Friday could not come fast enough. I went on this way for several months. The straw that broke the camel’s back was a conversation that I had with my grandmother, the woman who raised me.
I shared with my grandmother that I wasn’t happy at my job. Given her philosophy “The purpose of going to a “good school” and getting good grades is so that you can make good money,” I was pleasantly surprised when she told me that if I wasn’t happy, it was okay for me to leave. She reassured me that with so many opportunities out there, I was bound to find something right for me. Upon hearing her say this, I felt like I had been granted permission to leave my job.
One of the biggest reasons why I was afraid to leave was because I was hesitant about giving up the stability that comes with having a job – the steady paycheck and a job title. I wanted these things not so much because I truly cared for them, but in large part because I wanted to live up to my family’s and society’s expectations to be a fully-employed individual as a college graduate from a “good school.” So, with my grandmother’s encouragement, I felt like I had the blessing I needed. A few days after our conversation, I gave my two weeks’ notice.