Choosing Yourself When the System Stops Working

[johnblockbuster]

Eighteen months ago, I stepped into freelancing with equal parts uncertainty and resolve. Like many people at mid-career, I assumed my experience would protect me in the job market—but instead, I ran headfirst into hiring freezes, tech layoffs, and subtle (and not-so-subtle) ageism. What began as a reluctant Plan B slowly became something else entirely: an opportunity to rethink how work fits into my life, rather than the other way around.

Burnout ultimately made the decision unavoidable. Chronic stress had begun to affect my physical and mental health, and it became clear that switching companies wouldn’t fix a system that fundamentally clashed with my values. I don’t live to work—I work to support a full life with family, hobbies, and rest. Freelancing wasn’t just about income; it was about reclaiming agency and building the work environment I couldn’t find elsewhere.

[chainsniff]

the ageism part is real and nobody likes to talk abt it