Man, that phrase really hits different. “Something corporate leaving through the window.” Sounds dramatic, right? But honestly, sometimes it feels exactly like that.
My Own Window Story
I remember this one place I worked at. Big glass building, fancy coffee machine, the whole deal. Looked great from the outside. Inside? Felt like a cage sometimes. I spent years there, climbing that ladder everyone talks about. More meetings, more reports, more pretending to care about synergy or whatever buzzword was hot that week.
The Grind Got Real
Day in, day out, it was the same. Get in early, stare at spreadsheets, sit in meetings where nothing got decided, grab a sad desk lunch, stare at more spreadsheets, then stay late hoping someone important noticed. My shoulders were always tense. I started getting these headaches. My kid asked me why I was always grumpy.
The Actual ‘Window’ Moment
It wasn’t like one big explosion. More like a slow burn. But I do remember this one Tuesday afternoon. Raining outside. I was stuck in yet another pointless meeting, listening to some VP drone on about Q4 targets. I just kinda zoned out, staring out the big window. Saw people walking outside with umbrellas, going places. Some were laughing. And it hit me – I wasn’t going anywhere. Not really. Just stuck in this loop. Right then, I mentally checked out. I decided I had to get out. Not dramatically climbing out the window, obviously, but the feeling was that strong. Escape.
Making the Jump
So, what did I do next?
- Thought it through (a bit): Went home that night, couldn’t sleep. Sketched out a rough plan. What savings did I have? What could I actually do next? Didn’t have all the answers, but knew I couldn’t stay.
- Talked to the Boss: Next week, I walked into my manager’s office. Palms were sweaty, not gonna lie. Told him I was leaving. He looked surprised, maybe a little annoyed. Asked the usual questions – “Why? Where are you going? Is it the money?” Tried to talk me into staying. Standard stuff.
- The Notice Period Shuffle: Had to serve notice. That was weird. Suddenly you’re the guy who’s leaving. Some people avoid you, some ask nosy questions, a few wish you well genuinely. Did the handover stuff, wrote down notes, deleted my personal files. Felt like preparing for launch.
- Packing the Box: Last day. Packed up my sad little desk plant, the mug collection, a few notebooks. It didn’t take long. Looked around the office one last time. Same stressed faces staring at screens.
Walking Out
Walked out of that revolving door and took a deep breath. Didn’t look back. It wasn’t exactly like leaping through a window into glorious freedom, more like stepping carefully onto shaky ground. Scary? Yeah, a bit. But the relief? Massive. Felt like I’d shed a heavy coat I didn’t even realize I was wearing.
Now? Things are different. Working on my own stuff. Sometimes it’s harder, pay isn’t always steady like that corporate gig. But grumpy? Not so much. Headaches are gone. Feel like I’m actually going somewhere, even if I’m figuring out the map as I go. That corporate thing? Yeah, I definitely left it behind, maybe not through the window, but definitely out the door for good.
