How I quit my 9 to 5 office job to become an artist?

I want to tell you a story about one decision that changed my life completely.

I'm guessing you may have already heard that story before, and in the grand scheme of things - it's not unique. However, around the time when I decided to quit my 9 to 5 office job, I used to watch videos and read stories like this one perpetually. It helped to keep my dream alive and reassured me that everything would be alright. So, let's start from the beginning.

My last job, before becoming a full-time artist, was as a graphic designer at a Lithuanian brand that could be compared with small-scale Amazon. You could get pretty much anything on their site. My day-to-day job was to design ads, banners, and visuals for the newsletter. Pretty simple stuff, mostly announcing sales on their site and social media. I was happy to have a stable job, even though it wasn't very creative. As someone with an art degree, finding employment can be difficult, and I had already decided that I didn't want to work in theater as a set designer, despite that being my bachelor's degree. So, going back to my office job, I wasn't exactly thrilled, but I was content. Or at least, I was content at first.

After the novelty of my job wore off, I found myself stuck in a monotonous routine. My daily tasks involved designing simple and vibrant advertisements for various products such as iPhones, washing machines, furniture, or whatever was on sale that day. I began to question whether this was what my life was going to look like forever.

Thankfully, I had a hobby that I was passionate about - making dolls. Despite not having much free time, I would dedicate all of it to creating dolls, often working on them late into the night. I had already set up an Etsy shop and made a few sales when I had something to sell. All of my dolls at that time were one-of-a-kind. So with the limited time I had, my shop would constantly sit empty until I would finish the doll, list it on Etsy, and sell it eventually. However, in 2014-2015, Etsy was less competitive, and I was able to sell my dolls fairly quickly, which definitely boosted my confidence as an artist.

After months and months at this job, I was genuinely depressed. The only thing that would bring me joy was dolls. I would let myself dream about becoming a full-time doll artist, but I was still unsure of how to do it. However, with the encouragement of those around me and the opportunities that arose, I began to gain confidence. I was invited to speak about my art on national television, magazines would print interviews with me, my Facebook page grew constantly and I would get requests for custom orders. Which I all did in my spare time, while still holding onto a job that was making me unhappy. And I know it was a smart thing to do. Now I wonder that if I had a more creative and fulfilling job at that time, I would have never become a full-time artist. The contrast between how I felt at work and how I felt while working on my dolls was stark, and I knew I had to chase that feeling to pursue my dream career.

So I did.

I finally decided to pursue a career as a full-time doll artist. Yet, I was cautious and made a plan before taking the plunge. I calculated the amount of money I would need to live for at least three months without making any sales. Once I had that number I started saving. Which meant not purchasing anything for myself, just spending the money on basic needs. I would put aside everything I made selling dolls. Eventually, I had a safety net to start my doll artist career - for real this time. I was telling myself, if it doesn’t work out I will always find another depressing job. Thankfully I didn’t have to.

The first few years were tough. I was barely making ends meet. I could only afford rent, bills, groceries, and art supplies. I didn't go anywhere fun and didn't buy anything for myself unless it was cheap and thrift. I even cut my own hair. Despite all the sacrifices, I was finally happy. Anxious, but happy. The first two years felt very unstable. It was like balancing on a ball rolling on a rope while juggling at the same time. It felt like everything could collapse at any moment. But for the first time in my life, I had true goals, and I was determined and fulfilled.

Also, when you’re truly happy from within, you don’t need to consume as much to chase that feeling. You just need less stuff. Which helps when your career is just starting.

In year three it felt a little bit easier. I was finding other revenue streams, and building my brand and everything was looking up. I would lie if I said there were no hard moments or times of self-doubt, but I knew I found my purpose. It was something to fall back on when the times were hard. I also made sure to never forget how I felt at that job making ads about washing machines. I was thankful for that job as it pushed me to look for something else in life. If I had been comfortable there, I don't think I would be talking to you now. I needed to feel that deep sadness about my life to finally try and change it.

Before I go, I want to acknowledge a few things. I live in Vilnius Lithuania, where the cost of living can be lower than in other big cities around the world. I also did this when I was 24-26 years old, so everything seemed more possible, I was more optimistic too. I don’t know how I would approach this career change now when I’m 33.

But if you’re in the same boat, I want to wish you courage, and even when it seems that everyone else has it easier, it’s not necessarily true. Sometimes we just don’t see the sacrifice it takes to reach our dreams. I just really hope that everyone could get to know this feeling of purpose, fulfilled dreams, and self-assurance that you are on the right track. And that’s my wish for everyone.