How I Quit My Job And Designed A New Life I Love
Women ask me all the time how I quit my job, and started my own business from the ground up.
If I’m being honest, I didn’t have much of a plan. I didn’t know what I was going to do, or how I was going to do it.
All I knew was that I had to leave this garden I’d long since outgrown, and journey into the wild.
I knew in my soul that I was meant to write. It’s hard to explain, but I could feel it.
And even though the thought of being unemployed, broke, and indefinitely living with my parents was tough; I decided it was worth the risk.
The chance to do what I know I came here to do, and get paid to do it, was worth it.
Even if I failed, I knew I’d be okay with that. What I wouldn’t be okay with was not trying.
How I Quit My Job And Designed A New Life I Love
The misery of my 9-5 had been building steadily for a year before I finally made my decision.
I wasn’t growing anymore. Everything felt stagnant. Nothing was easy.
So in September 2016 – after another frustrating showdown with my manager – I decided it was time.
I still remember being sat in my boyfriend’s car, tears streaming down my face, because I was so miserable.
But I still didn’t know what I would do.
The plan was to stick it out until Christmas so I could save some money, and then have a fresh start for 2017.
And that’s when it all began.
The first thing I did after quitting my job: I hopped on a plane to Sri Lanka!
I was already planning to spend two weeks in Sri Lanka for my cousins wedding, so Sam and I decided to turn it into two months.
Because, well, why not?
He had nothing going on in England, and neither did I.
So we thought, fuck it, let’s enjoy a winter getaway and see what happens.
At the time, I had been submitting my writing to various online publications.
I was earning a small amount of money, but not enough to live on. That’s why sticking it out at work a few more months and saving up helped a lot.
One of the publications had asked me the year before if I was interested in writing a book.
Hell yeah I was. I’d wanted to write a book since I was a girl.
So in January 2017 while in Sri Lanka, I started forming the idea for my very first book, Bloom.
And having that time away to think and just breathe helped enormously. I felt like I was spreading my wings on my own for the first time.
Everything had been non-stop from school to university to getting a job. All the things you’re told to do.
But for the first time, I was calling the shots. And it felt great.
Freelancing helped give me a steady foundation
I knew I wanted to be a writer and write books, but I needed a steady stream of income to support me. So I started searching for freelance writing jobs.
At first, I went for things I was more qualified to write about like fashion and relationships.
But then I taught myself to write about other topics like business and marketing. This helped me to get higher paying freelance work.
There’s a lot of competition, but if you’re willing to work hard enough, you can earn a great income.
I always avoided taking low paying jobs because I respected my talent enough to know I deserved better.
Luckily, I had the luxury of doing that because I was living with my parents and didn’t have bills to pay.
After a while, I had content editors find me and ask me to write for them.
Sacrificing was key to creating the life I wanted
Sometimes you have to say no to certain things so you can say yes to others.
Like I said, I lived with my parents for the first year after quitting my job. This wasn’t ideal. Actually, it was downright frustrating.
But at the same time, I was incredibly grateful that they allowed me to, and that I had that luxury. Because a lot of people don’t.
It meant that it was okay earning $300 one month, and $600 the next.
I also cut down drastically on my expenses. That meant no more new clothes, or going out for dinners and drinks with friends.
Almost everything I earned went right back into growing my business. Investing in writing and marketing courses, my books, email marketing, and working with coaches.
If you don’t back yourself, who the hell else is going to? Those investments were worth it, and I continue to invest heavily in myself every day.
I also started being more protective over my time. I was no longer willing to waste in on people who didn’t inspire me, or challenge me to raise my own bar.
The people you surround yourself with have a bigger impact on you than you think they do.
I wrote a lot
I was writing almost every day for those first couple years, and I still am today. There were a few blips in between, but generally, I write every day.
This means I continue to master my craft and become a better writer each day. It means that each article and book gets better every time.
If you’re serious about whatever it is you dream of doing, then you’d better take it seriously.
Sometimes my articles only get a few hundred views. Other times they receive millions of views. And you can’t predict this. But if I hadn’t chosen to show up and write all of those articles, that would never have happened.
In 2017, I also wrote and published three books. I knew what I wanted, and I was going after it like I meant it.
Then we moved to Bali for a year!
After a year at home growing my business and income, Sam and I decided we were ready to live together. We were thinking of where to start looking for places in our local area.
Then one night, I received a message. I think it was my intuition or soul speaking to me.
And it said, why don’t you move to Bali?
And I thought to myself, why don’t we just pack our bags and move to Bali?
So that’s exactly what we did!
I listened to my intuition, and trusted it.
We jumped on a plane before new year, and and we lived there for the whole of 2018.
I still wasn’t making a tonne of money, but I was doing okay. Plus, living abroad meant our living expenses would be cheaper than in the UK. And my business was entirely remote which meant I didn’t need to be in a fixed location. I’d designed it that way, so it was time to make the most of it.
We had an incredible, life changing year there.
I immersed myself in the philosophy of yoga while in Ubud, and this had a profound effect on my soul journey.
I started mentoring other women
While In Bali, I decided to become a coach.
I had lots of women finding me through my books and Instagram page, and asking for advice. Advice on life, love, business, confidence, and everything in between.
So I started mentoring women 1:1. At first, I felt a little like an impostor. But the truth was, I had lived and grown through a lot.
I had gone from being a shy, insecure girl, to an empowered woman who was living a life she loved. So there was a lot of wisdom and teachings I had to share.
I loved the feeling of genuinely making a difference in someone’s life. That was always my mission with the books I wrote, too. I’d finally found something that felt fulfilling and meaningful. And that was sorely missing in my 9-5.
And I planned my first retreat
I was in love with the idea of hosting a retreat. Something deep in my soul wanted to create this experience.
A week in the sun where – with my help – women could come and learn, laugh, heal, share, and empower themselves from the inside, out. And be supported in sacred sisterhood.
This added another dimension to my business. It was a lot of time and work that went into making it a success, but for me, it was worth it.
For weeks, I was terrified no one would attend. Then one person booked it, and I was worried it was just be me and her. Then a second person booked it, and I was still feeling embarrassed by the thought of having only two people attend my retreat.
I had three women attend that first retreat in Sri Lanka in February 2019, and they returned home as different people. The transformation I witnessed in them was incredible. And being able to facilitate that and be a part of their journey was humbling.
If I’d allowed my fear to hold me back, I never would’ve even put my offering out into the world. That’s a scary thought.
I continued to learn & grow every day
I hope I haven’t made this journey sound easy. Because it wasn’t. It was filled with highs and lows, and a rainbow of shades in between.
Some days, I would sit on my bed crying with my head in my hands, and wonder what the fuck I thought I was doing.
Other days, I’d be freaking out about running out of money, and having to live with my parents again and get a “real” job.
And I’ve failed over and over again, and picked myself back up.
I think what kept me going was that I continued to see growth within me.
I was forcing myself to learn knew things all the time. Like how to complete a tax return, how to design a website, how to create an email funnel, how to self-publish a book, how to plan a retreat, how to grow my business etc.
This meant that I was always growing. Both in my business, and as a human being.
And this is key to how I quit my job and designed a new life I’m in love with.
She Rose Revolution was birthed into the world
In Spring 2019, I had just hosted my first retreat, and was ready to do something big. Something that continued to challenge me.
I’d had ideas about having my own publishing house, and I thought, why not go for it? What do I have to lose?
So She Rose Revolution started to take shape, and was finally birthed later that year.
We are an empowering publishing platform created by women, for women. We share women’s stories from around the world, which help to inspire and empower women.
And we also help other talented writers write and publish their own books. Because I know that the world is filled with women who have voices that need to be heard, and shared.
We’re still learning and evolving every day. Just like I am.
I’m forever grateful for everything that has come my way so far. But there’s so much more I still want to experience in this world. There’s so much more I have within me that wants to be shared.
If you’re not currently living a life you love, chances are you’re not taking enough risks.
Because it is risky quitting your job for a dream. A dream that might always be out of reach, and never come true.
But what if it does?
