Why I left “dream” jobs and how it’s changing my life

Celebrities, money, creating gorgeous designs and getting free stuff. A dream job, right? And I had it on lock! Then I let it all go.

After earning a Master’s degree in Set Design for Theatre and Film, I launched my career by landing my first “dream” job as a set designer for a huge film studio in Atlanta, led by an industry mogul. Big projects with even bigger budgets, and a company credit card with a limit that could buy a house. I had officially “made it”; complete with a big salary, private office and sometimes I got to ride around in a golf cart.

This dream job also came with 60 to 80-hour workweeks, 6 to 7 days a week, immense project deadline pressure, and every-man-for-themselves team culture. One of my colleagues literally fainted while working at their desk.

So, I left.

Next stop, I was hired as an Art Director for a well-known shopping network. I designed with the biggest brands out there, celebrities, as well as movie partnership events, all for fast-paced 24/7 live show television. Perks included designing colorful and fun sets, free stuff, huge product discounts, and a nice paycheck. Also included: ridiculously toxic corporate culture, a by-all-means-necessary approach to get people to buy things, long work days, passive-aggressive emails, and people ferociously arguing over things like what color of beige a table should be.

Sellevision! Where I learned the real insider scoop: Consumer Culture is designed to train you, subconsciously, that you are not good enough without ‘blank’. I was part of the Consumerist machine, learning the mind games and witnessing the ugly. It sucked.

So, I left.

Next stop, Senior Designer for the largest, Online Interior Design firm in the US. The dream job of designing rooms for clients across the country from my living room, in my sweatpants.

After 14 months, I had designed over 200 rooms and sold about $283,000 worth of furniture and décor to my clients. Wow! Cool, yeah? Online design, or e-design, can be soul-sucking work. Staring at a computer screen for 10+ hours a day, earning about $5 an hour, was not healthy or fair for me or my life.

So, I left.

Bringing us to the present where I have started my own minimalism, decluttering, home organization, interior design business spectacular, Sassy Simplicity LLC. The intentions were simple in creating my own company.

• Create work that aligned with my values.

• Stop selling people stuff that does not make them happy long-term.

• Stop selling stuff that hurts the planet. (Cheap, chemical-filled garbage!)

• Help people simplify their stuff so that they can focus on what truly matters in their lives.

• Shift items around to people that actually do need them.

• Contribute to changing US Consumer Culture, through healing our consumption habits, compulsive shopping, and shopping additions.

Starting Sassy Simplicity has brought me tremendous relief and joy. I’m finally doing work that supports the goals that I have to help the world instead of the corporations I was supporting to sell to the world. The “dream” jobs I was chasing weren’t really my dream at all. They were part of the vision of success that society parades around as glamourous life goals. I’m done perpetuating those lies, those fake rules for success and happiness.

Our jobs aren't who we are, but our work is part of what we contribute to the world. A toast to following your dreams!

Minimalism, Decluttering, Design

Michelle Gersten