The Road Linds Travels

Life changes, whether wanted or not, are stressful. I’ve read somewhere that moving and changing your job are two of the most stressful life changes. I wonder what stress tests would reveal when these two things happen simultaneously? Nonetheless, the last week of my life has consisted of just that. I quit my corporate career as an Art Director in the fashion industry, and I packed up and moved from the place I’ve called home for the past eight years.

I’ve always been one of those people that just does what she has to do. I plow through what needs to get done with what seems like endless energy, only to slow down at some point and feel like I just laid down on the train tracks at the peak of transportation time. Not the best analogy, but I think you catch my drift.

CORPORATE CULTURE DISDAIN LEADS TO LIFE CHANGES

My partner and I knew this day was coming after buying our 1992 International Bluebird school bus back in March. We knew that the end of my corporate days was nearing, and to be honest, I looked forward to it.

I’d been miserable for quite some time and for many different reasons. For starters, I do not agree with the corporate culture that is cultivated in this country. What is happening in the entertainment industry at the moment isn’t exclusive to that industry. This mentality that we should work through lunch, work overtime, work weekends, not take a vacation or call out sick, and answer the boss’ phone calls at 9:00 at night is rampant in many industries, including the fashion industry.

With Covid, this mentality worsened in the minds of old dogs who refused to learn new tricks. Working from home somehow became a privilege versus a precaution while expecting a child remained a cause for concern the same way it did pre-Covid. In an old dog’s mind, nothing was more important than focusing on cranking out thirty graphics in a week to land one design that would be produced into an overpriced t-shirt that Disney would sell to the masses. Nothing. Not even offspring – unless said offspring belonged to one of the Disney employees who would be sure to keep giving that old dog more work that he’d pawn off to his overworked and underpaid team of artists.

With Covid, this mentality worsened in the minds of old dogs who refused to learn new tricks.

THE WORTH OF MISERY

My time as an Art Director was full of disappointment, massive amounts of frustration, and thankless hours of work dictated by too many unskilled cooks in a kitchen somewhere. My time was also filled with incredible friends and extraordinary talent. The best part of my job was building, mentoring, and teaching a small team and the relationships I’ve sustained from this reward. In the end, I got to walk away knowing I defended and guided and led good people to the best of my ability, and that made all the misery worth it.

I have plenty more to share, but for now, I’ll leave it at how much I’m enjoying not dreading Mondays anymore – dreading them so badly that my Sunday evening is ruined. Here it is Sunday evening, and the realization that I have the free will to do with my tomorrow as I see fit is the freedom I’d been seeking. So, while the last week may have been stressful, I look forward to seeing what Mondays look like from here on out. One thing I know for certain – here in the high desert, it’s sure to be quiet, free of Disney and old dogs.