Frequently Asked Questions

For some reason, part of me was nervous to tell people that I was leaving architecture. And when I started working at a garden center, it was weird to see former colleagues and AEC professionals and tell them what I was doing. But the majority of the response has been incredibly positive, coated in support and sometimes a hint of envy. Over the last 18 months I've fielded the same few questions more times than I can count, so I'm sharing those here today.

Q: Why did I leave architecture?

A: The funny thing about this question is that it's usually people unrelated to the industry who ask. Any time I talk to architects, interior designers, engineers, contractors, etc.they just seem to get it.

The long, detailed answer to this question is complicated and will likely unfold itself over time in my writings. The short answer - I was chronically stressed and frustrated and the practice of architecture often made me very unhappy. I didn't like the lifestyle of being an architect. I needed to make a change in order to live a better life.

Q: How did I decide when it was time to leave?

A: THIS is the question that I get most frequently from other architecture and design professionals, often the ones who are feeling just as stressed and frustrated as I was and contemplating their own departure. I struggled with the idea of leaving for a long time, and put a lot of effort into staying. In a way, the decision to leave was ultimately made for me.

One day I had a discussion with a firm leader who said something that made it very clear to me that the change I was looking for wasn't happening at that firm, and I made the decision in that moment. I knew immediately that my decision was not just to leave that firm, but to step away from the work all together, to give myself time to find what would come next.

Q: Why/How did I land at a garden center?

A:  I am a serial hobbyist. One of the things I always struggled with in architecture was the amount of time and the amount of myself that was dedicated to this one thing. I never had the time or energy for all of the other things I wanted to do. Right around the time I left my job, I read the book One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success by Marci Alboher. The general concept of the book describes people who have multiple careers at the same time, whether it's a full time job with a side hustle, multiple part time gigs, or multiple seasonal positions. At this time I was also constantly questioning what I was going to do with myself, how I was going to make money, and how I was going to make the big life changes that I was craving. 

I got out a notebook and made a few lists. The headings were four of my more significant hobbies/interests and below each heading I listed ideas of things I could do to make money or spend my time. As I made the lists I did everything I could to include each idea without judgement. When I finished, I took a step back, looked over the lists, and let my heart guide me. I could feel it in my body, in my nervous system, when something on the list felt wrong (anything related to music), and when something felt right. I marked the ideas that sparked the "right" feeling in me, and I just knew in the moment when I read "work at a garden center" that this was what came next.

Q: Will I ever return to a career in architecture?

A: I spent my whole life on this path to become a licensed architect, followed all the steps, put in all the work. This past year is the first time I've allowed myself to have absolutely no plan, to take each day as it comes, and make decisions based on how I feel instead of what I think I'm supposed to do. It has been both liberating and uncomfortable.

I hesitate to answer this question, because it's impossible to predict the future, and I don't want to put myself in a position again of making decisions and doing things only because of a directive from a past version of myself. 

As of today, returning to a traditional job in a traditional firm doesn't feel right. I can't say that I won't ever return to that role, but it's not where I belong right now.

Currently I am dipping my toes into the sea of residential design, taking on small projects as they come. I'm open to testing out contract work and seeing how that feels. I've maintained a social connection to the industry through friends and local events (I don't plan to stop crashing building tours any time soon, so keep 'em coming). And for now, this is enough architecture for me.

⚘ ⚘ ⚘

 

Happy growing!

Sarah