19+ People Who Traded Corporate Job Stress for Life on Their Own Terms

Not everyone finds the courage to walk away from a dull job and pursue their true passion. But those who do rarely look back with regret. Even if they once earned a fortune at a major corporation and now work as nail artists or craft handmade soap, what matters most is the joy that now lights up their eyes.

“7 months ago, I quit my Walmart job to become a jeweler, and I’m entirely self-taught. Yesterday, I finished my most complicated work yet: a ring made with desert glass.”

We all need to be truly valued for what we do.

• My dad died suddenly. The grief hit hard. I messaged my boss, politely requesting three days off. He called me impatient: “This is a critical project. Can’t it wait?” That told me everything I needed to know. I said nothing, took the days off anyway, and traveled home to bury my father. While there, surrounded by family and memories, I realized I’d lost more than a parent—I’d lost myself in a job that never valued me. I returned to the office, typed out my resignation, and handed it in the next day. “You’re leaving? Now?” my boss asked, astonished. I nodded. He was shocked when I said, “I’m done postponing what matters.” I packed my desk and walked away. A month later, I launched my passion project: a small digital platform for mental health resources, especially for those grieving. It’s what I needed—and now I can offer it to others.

Remote work isn’t always as easy as it seems.

• When I was 26, I left my classroom job and shifted to working online. My mother-in-law wasn’t impressed — she used to whisper, “She just sits at home on the computer.” Then one day she stormed in and demanded, “When are you getting a real job?!” You should’ve seen her expression when I explained I was already earning twice as much as her beloved son, my then-husband.
  These days, I still teach — just virtually. I wake up, do my makeup, throw on a nice top, open my laptop, and just like that, my workday begins.

From manicures to leather restoration

• My wife is a multiple champion in manicure competitions. She worked for 12 years, and then she said, “I can’t look at nails anymore.” So she went into a field that provides car care services. Now she restores leather in car salons. © Unknown author / Pikabu

One moment can change everything

• It was a Tuesday. I’d just billed 11 hours, skipped lunch, and missed my son’s school play—again. At midnight, I was still reviewing a contract when I glanced outside and saw the moonlight falling on my overrun garden. I shut my laptop and stepped outside barefoot. That moment changed everything. The silence, the smell of soil—it reminded me I was alive. The next week, I enrolled in a garden design course—secretly. I didn’t tell anyone for six months. When I finally quit, my colleagues thought I’d had a breakdown. But I was finally rebuilding. Now, I create outdoor spaces that help others breathe again. My first client? A former client from my law days—who said my garden design saved her from burnout.

“I quit my office job in the US, sold my stuff and moved to Thailand. Best decision ever. My new backyard.”

Walking away and choosing freedom

• It started with a dog—muddy, wild, and charging through a park where I was doom-scrolling after a 14-hour day in finance. Its owner apologized profusely. I laughed, took a photo, and thought nothing of it. But later, that candid shot—one perfect moment of canine chaos—got picked up on a niche photography blog and went semi-viral. Curious, I booked a weekend pet shoot. Then another. Soon, I was sneaking out of work early to photograph strangers’ dogs.
  
  One Monday, my boss called me into a meeting. I assumed it was about a project deadline. Instead, he slid a printed photo across the table—it was mine, from Instagram. “Care to explain why clients are seeing this instead of reports?” he said coldly. My stomach dropped. I thought I was about to be fired. But instead, I stood up and said, “Actually... I quit.” He blinked. I walked out, heart pounding, legs shaking. That night, I made a website. By morning, I had my first paid booking—and freedom.

“I’m almost 40. I was a front end web developer for a small corporation. It was a good job, but the endless full days at the computer really started to get me down. I quit my job 4 years ago to take pretty pictures like this.”

Motivated to prove her wrong

• I was a personal assistant at a law firm, running on caffeine, errands, and ignored dreams. But what really pushed me over the edge was my mother-in-law. She came over for dinner one night, took one look at the small vase I’d made at a weekend pottery class, and said, “Cute hobby. Just don’t start thinking you’re too good for a real job.” My husband chuckled nervously. I didn’t.
  That night, after she left, I sat at the kitchen table and cried—not because of what she said, but because part of me feared she was right. But the next morning, I signed up for a 6-week intensive pottery course. I didn’t tell anyone. Six weeks became six months. I quietly started selling mugs online. When I finally quit my job and opened a small studio, she called it “reckless.”
  Six months later, she asked if I could custom-make a vase for her retirement party. I smiled and said, “Sure. But I charge family double.”

“It’s been 3 months since I quit the day job for art. I’m still kicking! Here is my art.”

“I quit my job a year ago and started flipping motorcycles, it’s become a real passion for me.”

A fresh dawn brings a bold choice

• It seemed like an ordinary day, but that morning I suddenly decided that it was time for a change. I quit my job, sold my one-bedroom apartment to some real estate agency for a ridiculously low price, bought new flip-flops, a suitcase and a ticket to Thailand. Now I’m sitting and waiting to board my flight. Behind me, there is a prestigious job and stability, and ahead is emptiness and the unknown, but for the first time in 26 years I feel really happy. © Overheard / Ideer

From caring for kids to creating styles

• I used to work in a daycare. Parents, when picking up their children, were always amazed at their varied and complex hairstyles. 6 months later, I quit my job and departed to look for myself.
  Now I live in a big city, and I am a famous stylist. I do wedding and evening hairstyles. My schedule is full for the next 2–3 months. I want to thank all my little models, without whom all this probably would have never happened. © Overheard / Ideer

“The joy shoots from her facial area! My wife was able to quit her job to pursue a homemade soap biz!”

“I’ve spent 4 years designing this board game and just quit my engineering job to go all-in. Cheers!”

“I quit my job to be an artist and it somehow worked.”

Switching careers can be frightening, yet incredibly exciting.

• Next month, I will turn 30. I have worked in management and law practically all my life, but I have long wanted to try myself in cooking. I was discouraged, I listened, and I was afraid. And then I realized that my every morning starts in tears and depression.
  Tomorrow is my last day at work. Suddenly, my CV (I’m looking for a job of a cook) has proved very popular, despite my lack of experience. I bet on a small venue, where they are ready to hire me immediately.
  In childhood, I dreamed of wearing the police uniform, but it did not work out. It left me frustrated for a very long time. Now I’m going to wear a chef’s uniform. Why not? © Riful / Pikabu

There’s always time to discover something new.

• First term done. Feeling pretty good about myself right now. Slept through school growing up and worked my whole life in a factory, picking up 50lb bags all day. If I can do it, so can you. © Unknown author / Reddit

Trading the office for a journey around the world

• I quit my prestigious job, sold all my valuables, and set off on a round-the-world trip. 2 months into the journey, I have 8 African countries behind me. Just 6 months ago, I would have laughed if someone had told me I would be writing this post while in Mozambique.
  Dreams do come true! All it takes is the determination to take a step toward them. Don’t be afraid, don’t panic, follow the voice of your heart. And I think I’ve met my love. © Overheard / Ideer

“I quit my job, and now I have time to chase the flowers. Superbloom at Carrizo Plains National Monument, California”

A superbloom is a rare event in desert landscapes where an exceptional number of wildflowers burst into bloom all at once.

Passive income sparks both dreams and jealousy in people

• I inherited 2 apartments from my grandmother. I decided to rent them out. I quit teaching at school, and just took on a few students for tutoring from home. I get enough sleep, I went to the sea, I got a massage. And you know what?
  My friends and colleagues whisper that sooner or later I will be cheated by tenants. They’re just full of venom, “She got lucky for nothing. How could she quit her job?” etc. And I feel like I started living for the first time in my life. Only 2 people are happy for me: my mum and my not-so-close friend. They said, “Enjoy!” © Overheard / Ideer

“Quit my corporate job. Sold my startup. Now I’m launching my first ever board game on Kickstarter.”

Finally, here are more true stories that show we all have the strength to transform our lives for the better.