To be completely honest, I don’t even know where to start. This topic brings up so many positive and so many negative emotions for me.

So, let’s start with what my most recent role was in the corporate world. I was a Social Media Manager for one of the largest tourism companies. When I scored this position, I was over the moon and felt like all my dreams were coming true. I had worked so hard at university and had made the biggest effort to get industry experience since I graduated from school – so, I felt like I deserved this role. I had an attractive salary, paid annual and sick leave, stability and most importantly I was working in the industry I studied – my passion. Sounds pretty nice, right? But, is it really that nice? The harsh answer is no.

At first I used to love getting up each morning and heading to my 9-5 job. I worked a fast paced schedule and had one of the coolest jobs in my marketing team. Unfortunately this feeling faded pretty quickly. I worked in an environment that can only be described as toxic. This was something that I found really difficult to comprehend and I thought it would just go away and I could get on with it. I couldn’t. I dreaded going to work every single day. I had a stressful position with long hours and felt like my hard work wasn’t recognised. I do understand everyone goes through these feelings, but I realised the corporate lifestyle just wasn’t for me. After months of deciding what to do, I finally took the plunge and quit with NO JOB TO GO TO. This was so daunting because if you know me personally I am such a planner, not just in my job but in my life too. However, it turned out to be the best decision I ever made for myself.

As cliche as it sounds, life is way too short to be working a day job that doesn’t make you happy. I would say I was unhappy 70% of the time and happy 30% of the time and to me that just wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t worth the tears, the exhaustion, the over time or the toxicity. I wish I left sooner. The main reason I didn’t leave sooner is because if you took away the environment I was in, I actually adored the job itself plus I made life long friendships at my work. Two people in my team have now become two of my best friends and they filled my days with joy, laughter and most importantly always supported me through the tough days. So even though I didn’t have the most positive experience in this corporate role, I was able to leave with two of the most amazing friendships that I will forever cherish, I became an even more determined woman to succeed and left with a wealth of knowledge.

Obviously not everyone would have had the same ‘corporate’ experience as myself, but working in a team that is 90% females is hard… really hard. I don’t think I need to elaborate on this one because I am sure you know what I mean!

After I gave my 4 weeks notice, I started to look for new opportunities and was lucky enough to attend some interviews. However, none of the roles I interviewed for seemed to be the right fit. So, I decided to take a few weeks off, and use that time to reset and refresh. This led me to throwing some ideas around in my head of why don’t I start freelancing? Turned out I loved freelancing so much, I established Sweeter Social.

I now get to wake up every morning loving what I do and living MY dream, NOT a company who thinks I’m just a number. If you’re reading this and feel like you can relate, my one piece of advice is to ask yourself the question, am I really happy doing what I am doing? And, if you’re not maybe you should hand in your resignation letter too.

If I can start a successful Social Media & Content Creation Agency during a global pandemic, so can you! Don’t waste your time in a role you’re not passionate about or a role you don’t feel appreciated in. There is always another option to explore. Working for yourself is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is certainly mine!

If you’re reading this blog post and feel that you resonate with me and are unsure where to start, please feel free to reach out to me, because I am someone who can relate to what you’re feeling. I know how cruel these environments can be and you’re not alone.

I can’t say these last few months have been easy but I’ve had some incredible moments, and I cannot wait to see what’s to come in the future. Since, I made the decision to quit my 9-5, and embrace my entrepreneurial lifestyle, I feel like I am actually living every day. I think the image above says it all.. I can’t wipe that smile off my face.

x Teneal