Quit my $52k job in Denver to move back to my hometown of 1,800 people and work a job with no sick days

Holly Reed · 2026-10-05T04:30:03.28235+00:00

Six months ago I had a nice office job in Denver with a fridge full of free LaCroix and a boss who said stuff like "let's circle back on that," and I walked away from all of it to move back to the town I grew up in. The choice was basically stay in Denver making $52k with a real career ladder, or come home, take a job at the lumber yard for way less, and help my mom after her knee surgery. I picked home. The first month was rough, I missed my friends and the coffee places and honestly the paycheck, but my mom is walking normal again and I know the names of like 40 people at the grocery store now. My old coworkers think I lost it, but my Tuesday nights are free and I eat dinner with my folks twice a week. Has anyone else walked away from a job that looked good on paper for something that mattered more? Curious if the guilt about the money ever totally goes away.

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Quit my $52k job in Denver to move back to my hometown of 1,800 people and work a job with no sick days | Big Life Changes - Thought Shares