[senbrow]

I went through the exact same thing as you, and I needed some time to explore different ways of living. I tried being a drone pilot, a kayak guide, and a paddleboard instructor and learned a lot in the process.

After those forays I designed and built a trailered coffee from scratch and now I run it on a public park that overlooks the ocean.

I am more fulfilled than ever, I can pay my bills, and I get to do WAY more "real" engineering than the bureaucracy of my past life at FAANG ever allowed for.

[tartoran]

Thanks for your positive story. How were your finances before you got off the rat race? Were you quite comfortable for a risky situation or you just risked it and it worked out?

[senbrow]

I was in an extremely good spot financially when I quit (years of runway) due to living well below my paycheck for years of working at FAANG.

I was terrified to do so, but the only alternative I could see at the time was killing myself if I had to continue as is (lots of mental illness prior to and greatly exacerbated by my time in tech).

It is the biggest leap of faith I have ever taken, and I do not have a big appetite for financial risk.