From Paycheques to Passports: Why I Spent 1 Year Choosing Freedom Over the Career Ladder

In 2023, I shocked everyone – including myself – by quitting my dream job as Editor at Female Invest.

No plan, just a gut feeling that my relationship with success and ambition had to change. What followed was a whirlwind year of travel, rethinking and rebuilding.

This is my messy, magical story of how I traded hustle for alignment, and found my way back to stability - and myself.

Why quit something so good?

In 2023, while working as Editor for Female Invest, I did something totally out of character: I jumped off the career treadmill at the wise old age of 29.

It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t logical. But after years of full-on girl bossing and chasing that shiny thing called “success,” something inside me whispered: There’s more to life than this.

And when I told people, the reaction was the same every time:

“Wait - why? You love your job!”

And that’s the strangest part.

Because I really did love my job.

As Editor at Female Invest, I spent 18 months doing work that fired me up - helping women feel empowered, seen, and financially confident. Plus, I got to bounce between London and Copenhagen, met some of the best people I know, and made memories I’ll carry forever.

So yeah, from the outside, nothing added up.

Why quit something so good?

Isn’t burnout for people stuck in jobs they hate?

But deep down, I knew this wasn’t about the job.

This was about something much bigger – my relationship to the system.

The perfectionist trap I found was in

Okay, so let’s get a little deeper.

The truth is, this didn’t start in 2023. It started the moment I stepped into university at 18.

I was ambitious. I loved my subject. I wanted to succeed.

So I went hard. Every essay, every grade became a measuring stick for my worth.

Did I crush it? Yes.

Was I proud? Also yes.

But looking back, was I truly fulfilled? Probably not.

That perfectionist, over-achieving version of me wasn’t something pushed on me – it was something I pushed on myself.

Born out of a system that prioritises masculine traits of productivity and efficiency. And which devalues feminine traits for creativity and rest.

And to be completely frank, it’s seeing women burnout at rapid rates.

This over-achieving self came along for the ride into my career. She helped me build leadership programs for women in government relations, write passionately about women’s issues in journalism, and land a dream gig as Editor at Female Invest.

But despite genuinely having a great time along the way, here’s the pattern: I was constantly overworking, over-giving, over-functioning - everywhere.

It took a toll. My hormones were shot, my period vanished, my relationship broke down. And in March 2023 at age 28, it all compounded into the worst of them all - burnout.

Burnout doesn’t always look like what you think

“Maria, are you okay?”

It was a simple question from a colleague, but I couldn’t even pretend to hold it together. My brain was fried. My chest was tight. The smallest task felt like a mountain. Ten minutes of screen time would send me into a full-body shutdown.

I took a Friday off. Then another. Then two weeks.

And somewhere in that forced stillness, everything changed.

I was forced to start reflecting on my own version of success and how I had been operating throughout my entire twenties.

And it would go on to be the most pivotal month of my life.

It shifted something in me forever.

My rock bottom turned into take off

Then a few months into recovery in August 2023, something unexpected happened:

My gut screamed, “You need to travel. Now.”

It wasn’t just a craving for adventure - it felt primal.

So I listened.

The timing was abrupt but in my logical mind it made sense. I was turning 30 the next year, the lease on my London flat had just ended, I wasn’t tied down to a relationship or mortgage and my brother was getting married in May 2024. It really was a now or never moment.

With a heavy heart, I abruptly left my job as Editor at Female Invest. I said goodbye to the people, the purpose, the paycheque for something I wasn’t accustomed to – freedom and uncertainty.

And in October 2023, I boarded the only flight I had booked beforehand to New York - with nothing but my suitcase and a deep sense that I was finally choosing freedom over fear.

No plan, just a gut feeling (and a fireworks deadline)

No plan. No route. Just one non-negotiable: I had to be in Sydney watching the fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

That was literally the only thing I knew when I left.

I didn’t plan more than a day or two ahead, ever.

It was just me, my backpack, and my intuition guiding the way.

And even though I started out solo, I was lucky to cross paths with old friends (and make new ones) in different corners of the world.

I kicked things off in the US, zig-zagging across the country for six weeks before crashing into the dreamy beaches of Hawaii. From there? Japan, Bali, Australia, New Zealand. And then somehow, back to Bali again.

And wow, what a ride it was

Over five months, I made more connections than I could count, soaked up the magic of different cultures, and created memories I’ll be telling stories about for years.

From the electric chaos of New York to the soul-soothing quiet of rural New Zealand, it felt like I met every version of myself along the way.

• I ate mind-blowing food I still dream about.
• I road-tripped across Australia with an Austrian (yep, not Australian) hottie I met in Japan.
• I joined a yoga retreat in the jungle.
• I ran around the streets of Kyoto.
• I watched the sunrise from a van in New Zealand and swore I’d never take mornings for granted again.
• I journaled a lot and poured my soul into the pages, then laughed at how dramatic I sounded days later.
• I trusted strangers, and they turned into lifelong friends I still speak to today.

In the end, I remembered what it felt like to be fully alive.

Reality started knocking

After months of living out of a suitcase, chasing sunsets, and stretching out my budget, reality started knocking.

Travel is magical – but it’s also incredibly fleeting. And as a homebody, I was craving that stability again.

So, I came home. And honestly? I was ready.

Ready to hug my friends and family.

Ready for home-cooked meals.

Ready for a little stability.

With 30 around the corner (a number I stupidly put far too much emphasis on), I craved a soft landing. A reset.

Coming back with even more questions

Funnily enough, even back on home turf, I still felt like a bit of a wanderer - just in a different way.

Suddenly, I was facing a whole new kind of adventure: figuring out what the heck is next. And that went on for an entire year.

Questions started rolling in:

• What’s my next career move?
• Where do I actually want to live?
• What kind of lifestyle lights me up?
• How do I keep burnout at bay this time?
• What does my version of success look like now?
• What kind of partner do I want to attract (no more “lessons in disguise,” please)?
• And most importantly: What’s my purpose and how can I creatively channel it?

So yeah, up until now I’ve been in my “exploratory era.”

Here’s what that’s looked like

• Applied for all kinds of jobs
• Got rejected (a lot)
• Went freelance
• Dated the wrong guys (hello, clarity)
• Moved back in with family
• Deepened my spiritual practice
• Became the best (and obviously cool) aunt, sister, friend and daughter I can be
• Most significantly, I built The Fem Code from the ground up – a community of ambitious women seeking to redefine ambition through the lens of feminine energy.

It hasn’t been glamorous. But it’s been real. And more than anything - it’s been mine.

And after now what’s been a full year and a half, I feel as though I’m entering the best and most balanced chapter yet.

Was jumping off the treadmill necessary?

Funny thing is, at my core, I’m a fully qualified home bird. I love being close to my family, I’ve had the same amazing group of friends since school, and I’ve spent most of my life working in London.

I need stability - it’s what makes me feel safe.

But the last year? Easily the most uncertain of my life. And yet it gave me a much-needed shake-up. It pulled me out of a system I’d been over-functioning in for years and forced me to really think:

Is this hamster wheel actually getting me anywhere I want to go?

Finding alignment amongst the chaos

So I made a bold choice: passports over paycheques. And honestly? That shift gave me a full 360° view of who I am and what genuinely lights me up.

When I came back, going freelance felt like my (slightly chaotic) way of giving a big middle finger to the system. I wanted freedom. I wanted to own my time.

And I finally had the space to build something deeply personal - The Fem Code.

Because whilst I was travelling, I kept coming back to this fire in me around women’s empowerment. It’s just part of who I am.

I loved my work as Editor at Female Invest, and that passion didn’t disappear when I left - it grew.

So I created a social platform, community, and event series focused on teaching women about masculine and feminine energetics. It’s about helping us escape burnout and reconnect with how we as women are truly wired.

My feet are finally back on the ground

It’s been messy since I got back in March 2024. But now? Things are starting to click into place.

I’ve shaped something I’m proud of with The Fem Code. And next week? I’m starting a new full-time job.

Yep – jokes on me and back I go into the system I thought I was so keen to leave.

Because the truth is: freelancing gave me freedom, but not stability. And I need both.

But this time, I’m soft landing. I’m not diving back into the corporate grind the same way I did in my twenties. My mindset’s different. Way more balanced.

I’m not overly precious about it all anymore - and that to me feels so good.

And the fact I still get to keep building The Fem Code on the side? Even better. I get to have something I’m building that feels completely aligned with my own unique sense of purpose.

So, would I go through the chaos of the last year all over again for where I’ve landed now?

Abso-bloody-lutely.

So, what now?

After this whirlwind year and a half, it feels as though everything’s finally clicking into place.

I’m confident London is where I’m meant to be, The Fem Code is taking off, I’ve landed a new role, and I actually love being in my 30s (I weirdly feel younger than I did at 29). Anyone relate?

There’s so much to look forward to now. I feel genuinely ready to meet my person, settle down and do all the things.

But truth also be told, I’m in no rush because I don’t take those sorts of decisions lightly.

I’m soaking up every bit of time I have with my friends and making decisions purely based on alignment – not necessity.

Because if this journey has taught me anything, it’s that balance, for me, isn’t about doing less - it’s about doing what matters in a way that feels aligned.

It’s knowing when to push and when to pause. When to say yes and when to say no.

It’s realising that “having it all” doesn’t mean doing it all at once - it means choosing what fuels me over what drains me.

Choosing balance over burnout

In my twenties, I thought success meant hustle, credentials and constant output.

I, like many women of the girlboss era, wore hard work and ambition as a badge of honour.

Now? Balance looks like boundaries.

It looks like mornings that don’t start in a rush, time with people who ground me, and saying no to anything that doesn’t spark a full body yes.

It’s structure with space, vision with softness and a strategy with soul.

Balance means being fully present in my 9-5 without losing myself in it.

It’s having the safety of a full-time role and the creative freedom of building The Fem Code on the side. As well as all the other things outside of work I love to do.

The next chapter

As for what’s next? I’m ready to play a longer game. I’m walking into this next chapter with clarity, calm, and a whole lot of trust because I finally feel so connected to myself and what I truly want the next phase of my life to look like.

I’m not chasing a version of success that burns me out. I’m building a life that feels light, deep, and completely mine.

Trading the paycheques for passports was risky, but boy was it worth it.

Have you ever taken a leap of faith that completely changed your relationship with success?

Share your story in the comments below!