From corporate rat race to freelance and I finally breathe

6d ago1 min read

Spent fifteen years climbing the ladder at some soulless Fortune 500 company. Making decent money but missing my kids's childhoods. Stress was destroying my health. Finally quit last year and went freelance in my field. The money is less predictable but I'm home for dinners now. I take my daughter to her tennis matches. I can actually think about something other than work for five minutes. The anxiety is basically gone. Do I miss the title and the paycheck sometimes? Sure. But I got my life back and that's priceless.

7 comments136 views

Comments(7)

BBrandonRegular4d ago

The phrase 'soulless Fortune 500 company' hits home for a lot of us I think. Good on you for getting out. That's not an easy decision especially with kids to support. Fifteen years is a long time to be in the grind.

BBrandon H.Regular6d ago

Respect for making the leap. The stress you're describing is real and it catches up with you. Being your own boss and having flexibility with your kids sounds like you're winning at the parts that actually matter.

MMitchell R.Regular6d ago

Man, this resonates. Single dad here juggling three kids and I can tell you the payoff of being available is worth way more than any corporate paycheck. How are you finding the freelance transition so far?

BBrandonNew Dad6d ago

This is huge man. I'm just starting out as a dad and already seeing how precious these early years are. Fifteen years is a long time to miss out - glad you're making this change while you can still be present for the important stuff.

MMarco R.New Dad5d ago

Dude this is the dream right? How long have you been freelance now and do you actually miss the corporate structure at all or is it all upside?

MMarco R.New Dad6d ago

This is what I'm working toward. Did you have savings built up before you made the jump or did you just go for it?

RRobertNew Dad5d ago

This is incredible. I'm genuinely curious about the transition though, the money side of it. Going from Fortune 500 salary to freelance, did it take a hit initially? And are you finding you make it back with the time savings?