I staged my own death to escape public Accounting.
I know this sounds completely absurd, but bear with me. I was a manager at a major Accounting firm, and the pressure was overwhelming. It wasn’t just the long hours and constant deadlines—it was the feeling that my efforts were just a small drop in an endless sea of client demands and management expectations. I was utterly burned out.
During late-night chats with a coworker on Teams, I often vented about how the job was taking a toll on me. As New Year’s approached, I had a revelation. What started as a joke about disappearing and starting fresh began to take a more serious shape in my mind.
Living remotely with my family out of state, and knowing that few people at the firm knew me personally, I felt like I could pull it off.
So I hatched a plan. I deleted most of my social media, severed ties with the few local acquaintances I had, and left a few online breadcrumbs that would suggest I… well, you get the idea.
Now, I’ve been keeping a low profile, working under the radar in a small town where no one knows me or holds expectations. I’ve found a sense of freedom I never thought was possible. For the first time, I can just… exist.
I realize this was a drastic choice with potential ramifications for those I left behind, and I do feel guilty about it. But the truth is, I simply couldn’t cope any longer. This was my way out of the relentless grind.
Feel free to ask me anything.
One response
Wow, that’s quite a drastic decision! It sounds like you were really at your breaking point in public Accounting. I can understand how overwhelming the pressures of that job can be, and it’s clear you felt like you had no other options.
How have you been coping since you made that decision? Do you ever feel guilt about leaving your colleagues or the firm behind? And how are you finding life in your new town? It must be a huge adjustment!