Hive mind. I am hoping for a great conversation here. I’m 52 and having a really hard time handling the corporate life. I’ve been in marketing for almost 30 years but now find myself just slower. Not as quick as my counterparts, not competitive at all, not as focused or as organized. I’m now 6 months into a role with a very complex organization and job responsibilities that I didn’t expect. The culture is very competitive and un- friendly, so I’m kind of done. But I can’t yet retire and want to do something else. Who has left the corporate world and found new paths? What do you do? How has the journey been?

17 Comments

1. AnonymousJune 6,2024 at 3:30PM UTC

   It was an organic process for me.

   Around your age I began studying the women around me that seemed to have charmed lives and realized, after conversations and watching them seemingly float through these amazing lives that it was by design not luck. They planned, arranged and sought out only opportunity that fit their dreams. They never gravitated nor accepted opportunities did not fit their plan.

   So I made a plan at around 50 that I wanted my time back. I wanted a lighter and more fun existence. I began figuring out ways to be an expert in a very narrow field within Legal Support for successful top corporations. This was way off the career fast track but I wanted control not promotions. I wanted revenue not bonuses. So I changed jobs so I could collect hands on experience. Certifications and network. I went from job to job every 2-3 years racking up the latest experience and exposure to keep my value high and employment opportunities plentiful. Ultimately I wanted to consult and managed to talk 2 exemployers into hiring me as a consult so I saved my $, converted my small extra bedroom into a nice office space and set myself up in business with an accountant and a lawyer to ensure it was all set up right. I now work under 23 hours per week fully remote while traveling with a 6 figure income. I turn down work because now at 67 I don't need the bigger $. It was scary leaving the safety of a W2 income but I avoid the ageism, toxicity and corporate politics.

   Looking back on it, this is the best life I could have design for myself.

2. Lashirah ElJune 6,2024 at 3:49PM UTC

   I am looking to change professions as well. I have been putting my resume out there for over 6 months and have received not a thought. I am now taking certificate courses to do something new. Thank you for your knowledge.

3. AnonymousJune 6,2024 at 4:03PM UTC

   Yes! It definitely is by design and not luck. I think we are brainwashed into believing that we must work for a company and climb that ladder. That we must fit into the corporate dystem. But it you really want the freedom you must create your own path. I think GEN Z has really figured this out.

4. Eileen MJune 6,2024 at 3:44PM UTC

   Thanks for highlighting what you are looking for from this thread. I left corporate life about 9 months ago after taking inventory of what qualities I wanted in a role and company. I landed on becoming a Stress Management Coach, and I love every minute of it. Like any journey, it's bumpy and for once I feel truly vested in my personal and career growth. I'd be happy to talk with you on a 1:1, if you're inclined (email me at info@blackbirdlifecoaching.com).

5. AnonymousJune 6,2024 at 4:26PM UTC

   At the risk of sounding odd, this message sounds like it's coming from someone who wants to let a worker go (posting as the worker) rather than a worker looking to switch gears.

   I'll be honest. There is significant age discrimination out there, and if your attitude about yourself is that you are slow, uncompetitive, disorganized and unfocused, you are unlikely to get far in a job search. I am almost 61 and was forced to switch gears several times during the pandemic, so I've been there. If you want to be seen as a good prospect, you may want to engage with a job coach, a local workforce center and/or other resources that can help you see yourself in a more constructive light and help you market yourself as the skilled person I'm sure you are. They may be able to help you explore other employment ideas as well.

   One field that may be interesting to you is non-profit work, which tends to be more people-focused and not as competition focused. But you still have to have the mindset that you want to work and contribute, rather than the mindset of "I want a job that doesn't care that I'm slow, unfocused and not competitive", because even if you didn't mean it to sound that way, you could come off as lazy.

   Finally, you may want to discuss how you're feeling with your doctor in case there are hormonal or nutritional issues that could be contributing to your fuzzy feelings.

   Good luck!!

6. AnonymousJune 6,2024 at 4:43PM UTC

   I agree with non-profit as an option, but would caution that the lack of resources, disorganization and having to deal with a board is a challenge on its own.

7. AnonymousJune 6,2024 at 8:13PM UTC

   Is it possible you need a break? You say you are 6 months into your current role, how much time between starting that and your previous role? I made a misstep when I left a previous organization that I had been with 10 years...multiple actually: 1. out of desperation (so ready for a change at that point and was clear I was not going to move up any further), I took the first role offered. The title was higher, the pay was lower. 2. I didn't give myself time between roles to decompress...especially after having been with the previous employer 10 years. 3. I moved to non-profit thinking it was the "break" I needed from corporate life. It most definitely was not. 4. I didn't totally think through the pay cut...I only considered base salary, not annual bonus (there was none at the new place), the 401k match, the HSA contributions, going to no stock purchase plan, etc.

8. AnonymousJune 7,2024 at 10:47AM UTC

   Sorry I don't have experience in corporate life.

9. AnonymousJune 7,2024 at 10:49AM UTC

   Government agency, NGO, social enterprises, charities, start up.

10. AnonymousJune 7,2024 at 1:16PM UTC

    Hi there - I am the same age and in a similar job - external affairs. Have you had your thyroid and hormone levels checked? I started experiencing the symptoms you’ve described at 44 and just a year or so ago realized it was perimenopause at play, in addition to hypothyroidism. Also, starting at a new company is always stressful. In my career there were two times that I did something a little different - both times I had some personal/family crisis that precipitated my change in perspective. I left corp and for nearly 4 years took a role as a yoga studio manager - teaching, marketing, etc. was fun but low pay drove me back to corp in 2009. Then in 2017 same kind of situation - had some major family stuff that caused a lot of trouble for me personally and I needed a change. I took a position at a nonprofit and loved the work but the pay was on par with the yoga gig so after a year I took another corp role. I am proud of myself for trying different things. A lot of quotes say don’t have regrets - don’t be afraid to live and do more than just exist. Those words pick me up and give me courage. If you have a hobby or a dream, see if there is a way to step into it realistically without disturbing everything as you may have menopause stuff going on and that is not easy and not something you get a lot of support from anywhere in society.

11. AnonymousJune 7,2024 at 5:28PM UTC

    Discuss this with a physician. Do a wellness check: Diet and weight can be huge, as can sleep apnea and the other items mentioned.

    Understand that employment is a business transaction. You give and you get. Re-assess your relationship with your current job and then consider alternatives. I stayed in a job I hated for a while but every single payday I bought another pair of shoes as a reward for working my long game despite the grind. Everything after that was a choice. Consider what you really need in terms of finances, social and employment rewards, and see if a reset is possible.

    I left corporate in 2019 and do remote gig work in my field. Downsized the house (and above mentioned shoe wardrobe) and live in the rural South where COL is very low. I earn about half of what I did in corporate. Occasionally I see people on LinkedIn who seem to be achieving big things that I could have done if I'd stayed corporate, but overall I wouldn't go back.

    Don't be afraid to retrain or get certificates for tech jobs. They need competent grownups in those roles and despite layoffs, there are still entry level opportunities. Another area is mental health case managers. They have peer support training programs and most of us meet their requirements for the job. Pay is terrible, but it comes with health insurance and altruistic benefits. Best of Luck!

12. AnonymousJune 7,2024 at 8:47PM UTC

    Get your hormone levels checked ASAP. I got on TRT and have felt better than I have for years! No more foggy brain, sluggishness, or inability to sleep through the night.

13. AnonymousJune 8,2024 at 4:20PM UTC

    This exactly! I am 49.

    Another woman leader in my company shared her story as part of our woman's speaker series. She talked about going on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) so it was in my mind.

    I went to my doctor because this year I have been sleeping horribly waking up ever 1-2 hours totally hot, which also goes on all day long, I felt foggy and exhausted and just uncomfortable. My doctor thinks it perimenopause and a hormone imbalance.

    She suggested the HRT (I have a tiny clear patch I change twice a week - estrogen 0.05) and said it will take about two months to notice the difference and if not she will up the dosage.

    (side note my girlfriends who had similar experiences - just told me welcome to menopause and deal with it like they are

    After about 6 weeks I can see a big difference, I sleep through the night waking up once, maybe twice like I used to (compared to 6-7 times before), I wake up refreshed and gone is the brain fog. I feel so much more on.

    It truly changed everything and I feel like my best self again. (and those "just live with it" girlfriends are checking into it too!)

14. AnonymousJune 12,2024 at 10:40PM UTC

    No, I actually take TRT in a low dose. Women also need testosterone! It is naturally occurring in your body as well, just not nearly at the same levels as men. I got all my hormones checked, and my testosterone was zero--other hormones great. I started on testosterone pellets and all my perimenopausal symptoms are COMPLETELY GONE!

    Don't be scared of testosterone ladies! No, my voice hasn't deepened, no extra body hair, or any other "manly" things. It has just made me feel like I am in my mid-twenties again with my brain power and energy!

15. AnonymousJune 12,2024 at 10:44PM UTC

    TRT is a type of HRT. HRT is hormone replacement therapy, which can mean any hormone. TRT is testosterone replacement therapy specifically. I get TRT pellets every 3 months and haven't felt better in decades. It is quite expensive, but I have cut back expenses everywhere else in my life to be able to afford this. That is how much it has changed my life!

16. AnonymousJune 13,2024 at 2:09PM UTC

    Yes, these are the side effects of HIGH testosterone, not the effects of getting testosterone levels to where they should be. There is a huge difference there.

    Before spreading misinformation, please read this article from the National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9331845/

17. BastetAugust 6,2025 at 5:38PM UTC
    Totally feel u. My uncle left corporate around 50—said the stress just wasn’t worth it anymore. He started freelancing part-time and got into consulting for small local businesses. Way less pressure. He also worked on his health too, even looked into options like Buy Mounjaro Online for weight stuff. Life’s too short to stay stuck in a draining job, fr.