This might sound like a sad story, but deep down, it is a happy one.
It has been a week since I started working in a role that has nothing to do with my twelve years of university education.
The job is not stressful, especially during the summer. I serve happy visitors at our ski resort in the mountains, which transforms into a biking and hiking destination during summer. I also help maintain our guest services building and contribute to organizing resort events.
I like this work. For the first time in about fifteen years, I am no longer experiencing the constant stress that followed me through every previous job.
Still, when I sit by myself, the questions arrive: "Is this really how my career was supposed to end up? Did I make the right decision by walking away from everything I spent twelve years studying and fifteen years building? Does it make sense to accept a job that almost anyone could do, earning only a third of what I used to make? What was the point of all the hard work I put into gaining the skills I have today? I spent thousands of sleepless nights learning what I know and even what I have unfortunately forgotten. Does it make sense to ignore them all? I used to be paid almost three times my current salary. Isn't it insane to work a job with my current salary?"
Oh, these are not comfortable questions and I tend to avoid this conversation with myself.
I decided to trade expertise for peace of mind.
Today, I work in the little mountain village where I live. My workplace is only a five-minute walk from my apartment. I no longer spend at least two hours a day commuting, four days a week, just to sit in front of a computer all alone and attend Zoom meetings.
When my shift ends, work stays at work and the rest of the day remains mine.
I no longer wake up with that constant pain in my stomach, anxious about the crazy workload waiting for me. I no longer give everything I have only to see my efforts overlooked while expectations continue to grow. There always seemed to be one more deadline, one more demand, one more reason why what I had already done was not enough.
I wish companies looked at their employees as human beings, not as money printing machines. I wish diversity, equity, and inclusion were more than words on corporate websites. I hope one day the government encourages businesses to respect human rights, the right to live with dignity, instead of allowing workers to become puppets of the system and tools for businesses to generate more profit, while falling deeper into debt and feeling constant pressure to earn more money to then pay more taxes and be considered ideal citizens!
I earn much less now, but I also need much less.
I live in a small apartment high in the mountains, surrounded by fresh air and beautiful forests. During my workday I move, walk, lift, and interact with people instead of sitting in the same chair for eight or ten hours without a real break.
I chose not to follow the life that is presented as the ideal path. I do not feel the need to buy a large house, drive a nice car, or own multiple pets as society expects it. I have stepped away from that race.
That doesn't mean I am ignoring my education. Those twelve years at university shaped the person I am. They taught me wisdom and thoughtfulness. They introduced me to remarkable professors, inspiring classmates, fascinating workshops, and ideas that continue to influence the way I see the world. They helped me become more curious, more respectful, understanding, and more open-minded. These are the values that matter most to me.
The wisdom I earned is not lost, and my sleepless nights were not wasted. It lives in the way I observe life, the accepted values that I question, and the person I continue to become.
Yes, I am no longer using my degrees in the traditional sense, but I have not abandoned what they gave me. I only chose to stop sacrificing my sanity to be a cog that turns the wheels of a society that preaches values I do not agree with.
I continue building on everything I started all those years ago at university, only now, I do it on my own terms.
July 13, 2026
Big White, Canada