One of the biggest changes since leaving the corporate world has been the shift in my mental health. In the past, I was surrounded by self-minded people, corporate politics dominating every interaction, constant “tech talk”, and a feeling of mistrust toward management. My energy was split between maintaining my place in an industry that didn’t resonate with me and quietly nurturing dreams that felt too distant for reality. This tension built up over the years, manifesting as unhappiness, frustration, and a growing sense of misalignment with who I truly was.

While on vacation in France, I indulged in so many fresh baguettes and pastries. Since returning home, I’ve been craving that same fresh quality, but without the hefty grocery store prices and unnecessary ingredients. So, I decided to give bread baking another try and refine my skills until it becomes second nature – something I can easily fit into my weekly routine. Honestly, nothing compares to a fresh loaf straight from the oven so it’s a worthwhile pursuit!

Last week, I returned from my vacation in France – my sixth visit and fourth time traveling solo there. With my background in French from college, I feel comfortable navigating the country on my own. There’s an energy in France that draws me in; I feel happy, calm, and at ease there. That’s why I chose to spend part of this trip reflecting on my life.

I’ve had a long hiatus from baking sourdough bread. Last year’s chaotic schedule and my dormant starter sitting in the fridge kept me from fitting baking into my routine. However, with my summer class now over and a renewed interest in self-sufficiency, I found the inspiration to start baking bread again. Unfortunately, my dormant starter had turned moldy and unusable. I tried to cultivate a new starter using a dry starter mix, but the fermentation activity never took off.

Continuing a strong spring semester, I decided to enroll in a remote AutoCAD course for the summer. The fully online format allowed me to maintain a flexible schedule for summer activities. The class was intensive, covering an entire semester’s worth of content in just six weeks. Thankfully, I had a friend in the class who kept me accountable each week. This was my first summer session, and now that I’ve experienced it, I would definitely consider taking more summer classes in the future!

In the last year and a half since I left tech, I have felt joy, relief, confusion, uncertainty, and fear. While I immersed myself in taking classes and enjoying my newfound freedom, I also battled a whirlwind of emotions beneath the surface. At times, I felt grateful and happy to be spending my days as I wished. Other times, I was plagued by fearful thoughts that I was wasting time while my peers were advancing in their careers. My mindset flip-flopped week to week between updating my resume to apply for new jobs and reminding myself of this rare opportunity to pivot away from corporate life. It was tough to stay on one course as different parts of my personality pulled me in various directions.

Introduction to Construction Applications

This is the introductory construction class for the Construction Technology major. What we covered in class:

• Hand tools
• Power tools
• Scaffolding
• Concrete (we used sand)
• Rough Framing
• Insulation
• Interior Finishes

January

• Hung my real estate license with Corcoran Icon Properties!
• Laid off from Carta
• Started taking Construction Management classes at CCSF

February / March

• Ran a half marathon PR
• Went to Adele’s concert in Vegas
• Bought my first car!!!

A few months after being laid off, I took up a new job as an Assistant Project Manager at a construction subcontractor company. This was the role I had been working towards after completing a semester of Construction Management classes. It was a quick pivot from my tech career, but I was given the opportunity to jump right in and start fresh in a field I’m passionate about.

A few months ago, I was laid off from my job as a software engineer at a fintech company. Ten percent of the company was let go, and my team was heavily affected. Once I got over the initial shock, I had to adjust to the new reality of losing my daily routine. Suddenly, I had all the time in the world, which was initially overwhelming. However, I soon filled my days with running, meeting friends, taking classes, spending time with family, and finally choosing a brokerage to hang my real estate license with.