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.