19 Emotions to Quitting Your Job

Artwork by AP Student Darrell Andrews

Free

When I typed the one sentence that severed my ties from eight years of questioning and doubting myself.

Exhausted

When my husband and I carried the last box into the dark drywall dust covered shell of a home.

Unsure

When I laid my head on the pillow, atop of the mattress strewn on the dusty floor.

Shaken

When I awoke to yelling voices on the street. And heard "put the knife away."

Bold

When I picked up the phone and called the police. Determined that violence would not take over the freedom I'd fought so hard for.

Stubborn

When I walked on streets, that people told me not to .

Bold

When I draped myself in my grommet covered scarf and did it over and over again, until I was no longer afraid.

Broken

When a fifth grader asked what everyone else was thinking, "What are you doing on this street?"

Scared

When I looked a drug dealer in the eye, and said good afternoon.

Relief

When I realized that I was making enough money. That my decision to leave my teaching job wasn't sending us into poverty.

Drained

When I worked six days in a row, over and over and over again.

Open

When I walked down the red brick sidewalks, in the sun, in the middle of the day.

Abundant

When we got hot water, electricity, and a kitchen. (When you don't have these things, perspective quickly changes.)

Perplexed

When I walked littered streets with children that couldn't understand why I went to work EVERYDAY.

Alive

When I was excited to get up each morning.

Torn

When I realized that I was doing too many things, and had to let something go.

Bittersweet

When I finally made the decision.

To leave the gallery.

Relief

When I finally announced that Dec. 30 would be my last day. Creating some empty blocks on my calendar.

Happy

When I sat down in my studio, looked at the clock and was shocked to see that I'd just been working for 13 hours, but loving it so much that I worked a little more.

For those of you that you are dreaming about quitting your job, or making a change in your life, this is a note to tell you that it won't be easy, that it might be scary, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't do it anyway.

It's also a reminder that when making big, giant, or ginormous life changes, it's good to have a plan, but you also need to know that nothing will go as planned. So pay attention, be open to change, and be kind yourself.