Leaving the corporate world takes courage and will change your life in ways you couldn’t imagine. Personally, I have learned a great deal about myself during the past 10 months or so. Admittedly, dealing with society’s ridicule and negativity has been a challenge; however, the experience has made me a stronger person for it.

Besides having to deal with the predictable financial worries, I have also had to deal with the scorn of friends, acquaintances, and family members. This has certainly tested my resolve and, at times, has made me question what I am doing. It seems that some people are making it their mission in life to force me to see the errors of my ways.

Sitting around the dinner table with my family (2 brothers and 2 sister-in-laws) on Sunday; I came to the realization that I no longer have anything in common with anyone. The topic of conversation always seems to migrate towards jobs, vacations, and money.

I remember being very much a part of these get-togethers. But it was really nothing more than a big competition, cleverly disguised as genuine conversation. However, back then, I couldn’t see that it was just a flagrant display of one-up-man-ship.

I was quiet on Sunday because I didn’t really have anything to say. This gave me a great opportunity to just listen to these people brag about there frivolous lives – and I say frivolous, because none of this stuff really matters in the grand scheme of things.

As I sat there listening to the bitching and complaining about work, and the bragging about past vacations, private schools, and the latest suburban gossip, I came to the realization that I was no longer in the “click.” I didn’t really care, since I could now see that these conversations lacked real intellect and substance anyway. They were so superficial and boring that I wondered how much I could take. No wonder I couldn’t think of anything to say. Yet, two years ago, I was just as bad, if not worse.

Yep, I reckon I could have kept up with the best of the suburban snobs, but sometimes you can’t see what’s really happening unless you are looking from the outside in. I wouldn’t be able to explain to them how much I’ve grown as a person in the last year, or the sense of freedom and contentment I enjoy each and every day. They simply see me as a middle-aged guy without a job – not an enviable position to be in – but, again, they can’t see things from my vantage point.

They don’t really say much to me these days. Initially, my brothers were alarmed at the news that I had gone crazy and threw my life away. In fact, I went through an intervention of sorts.

After that didn’t work, they tried other ways to shame me into rethinking my plans. They would always end up talking about how important having a career and security was – in my presence of course (what am I, two?). They would slip in subtle comments meant to make me feel guilty, and would always make a point to ask me how the job prospects were going.

It would have been a waste of time to tell them I didn’t plan on returning to a typical job, so I didn’t bother. These days, they just leave me alone. I guess they’ve given up on trying to “save” me. They aren’t purposefully rude and they don’t exclude me, but things will never be the same unless I climb back on that corporate horse.

And that’ll never happen.

Filed under: A new life

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