The Day I Knew: Why I’m Following My Exit Plan Now

By: A Tired, Determined Commuter-Turned-Creator

They say when it’s time, you just know. And for me, the day I knew… it didn’t creep up quietly. It was chaotic—breaking news, notifications flashing, and heart racing. An active shooter was reported in Manhattan. And I was just there. In the city. Just trying to make it home from a job I no longer felt safe, seen, or satisfied in.

That was it.

The last straw.

I’d already been sitting on the edge of this decision. Weeks of weighing the pros and cons, creating my site, doubting myself, then reminding myself that I was built for more. But on this day, in this chaos, clarity came fast.

Let me walk you through my regular commute, and you tell me if I was out of line for feeling done:

3 hours.

Three. Hours.

Days are likely to include a slow train, a delayed bus thanks to yet another parade (who even approves these midweek?), a ferry that felt like a scene out of Titanic when it hit the waves, and occasionally an uber.

Planes, trains, and automobiles? Close — all I’m missing is the flight.

I realized I was navigating obstacle courses daily just to sit at a desk that drained me. I was trading my peace, my mornings, my safety, and my sanity for a paycheck that barely covered therapy, coffee, and the shoes I kept ruining on subway stairs.

So yes. I made my decision. I’m following my exit plan. I’m leaving this job—not out of recklessness, but readiness. I’ve been building a smart, intentional strategy for this moment. And this? This was my signal from the universe: It’s time.

Leaving a job isn’t just walking out of a building. It’s walking into something new—something aligned, something that feels like breathing again. It’s scary, yes. But it’s scarier to stay in a cycle that slowly chips away at who you are.

To anyone else out there feeling the weight, the fear, the frustration…I get it. But here’s what I need you to hear:

You can plan your way out. Not all leaps have to be blind. Sometimes the most powerful exit is the one you map out step by step.

I’m not quitting because I’m weak. I’m quitting because I’m finally strong enough to choose myself. And if you're nodding your head right now, maybe… just maybe… it’s your time too.

Let’s make a move.

Let’s make a move now.