For once, I'm the one answering the questions.

This is episode 10 of Recalculating: Your M.A.P. to Joy, and guest host Johanna Danaher flipped the mic on me to dig into my own career zigzag — the one I usually ask other people about.

I spent 20 years building an IT career. A good one, actually. Started in special education, pivoted to IT help desk because it made logical sense at the time, climbed the ladder into project management. About 18 years in, it was killing me. And not metaphorically, but actually killing me.

The moment I couldn't unsee it: ten minutes into day 2 of a go-live that was falling apart, after sending hourly updates up the entire chain of command, my boss messages me — "How's it going?" Then, immediately after: "Why didn't you do the server evaluation 6 months ago?" It wasn't even my project 6 months ago..

That was it. I couldn't do it anymore.

I talk about the fear that kept me stuck for years before that moment — the belief that you could either have a financially stable career or work you loved, but not both. I talk about getting sick for six weeks after that go-live and almost missing a dream vacation because of it. And I talk about what it actually took, financially and emotionally, to make the leap — and why it took six to eight weeks after I did before I finally felt free again.

If you're sitting in a job that pays the bills but is quietly wearing you down, this one is for you. You can have joy in your career and cash in your pocket. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. But please — don't let work kill you.

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Website: movetojoycoaching.com Clarity Conversation: movetojoycoaching.com/claritycall LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mariemclark