I Broke up with my Dream Job.

When leaving your job feels like a breakup.

A breakup suggests separation—something once whole, now fractured. A wound is left behind, marking the place where something was lost. Whether it’s between lovers, a person and their home, or even a career, the pain lingers, demanding time to heal.

But how long does it truly take? There’s no rule, no timeline. Some wounds never fade entirely—though they heal, the scars remain, becoming a quiet part of us, a permanent reminder of what once was.

Why quitting a job can hurt more than a relationship breakup.

I’ve faced breakups with boyfriends, friends, even family members. And each time, the pain was deep. But when I walked away from my dream job, the ache felt different—more personal, more consuming.

This wasn’t just about leaving a position. It was about leaving a part of myself behind—the version of me that had once followed societal expectations, believing success looked a certain way. In choosing to break away, I wasn’t saying goodbye to a person or an external force—I was severing ties with a life I had built for myself, a path that no longer aligned with who I truly was.

The weight of letting go.

It has been six months since I left my corporate career—a job that offered security, financial stability, and, in many ways, safety. And I chose to walk away.

Each day, I wake up feeling as though I’m suspended in a storm—darkness, wind, rain, and thick fog surrounding me. Uncertainty weighs heavily, and the foundation I relied upon has crumbled. And I was the one who let it happen.

I wonder, often, when will this longing fade? When will I wake up and no longer feel the pull of what once was?

Amelia X