Thlesh

How I Quit My Job and Followed My Passion

By Thlesh Bhardwaj

🌱 The Beginning of Discomfort

I had a good job.
A secure one.
A position of respect — Principal of a reputed senior secondary school.
People looked up to me. I was a guide, a leader, a mentor.

But somewhere between lesson plans and circulars,
between staff meetings and school assemblies…
I lost my voice.

Not the voice that speaks.
The voice that writes.

I was teaching thousands, yet slowly forgetting how to feel.
That’s when the discomfort began — quiet, but persistent.
A question I couldn’t ignore anymore:

Is this it? Is this how I’ll spend the rest of my life?

✍ When Words Knocked Again

I always loved to write.
Poetry. Thoughts. Emotions too tender to speak out loud.
They used to fill my old diaries — hidden between job files and report cards.

One day, during a quiet lunch break, I found an old page I had written years ago.
It was a poem — about silence, longing, and a love I never spoke of.

I read it again. Then again.
And cried.

That day, I didn’t just read a poem. I remembered who I was.

And I knew — I could either keep managing others’ lives…
Or finally start living mine.

🔥 The Decision That Changed Everything

Quitting wasn’t easy.
There were bills. Family. Expectations.
And that constant voice in my head:

“What if it doesn’t work?”
“What if you fail?”
“You’re too old to start over.”

But another voice was louder now —

“What if it does work?”
“What if this is your one chance at truth?”

So, I resigned.

No backup plan.
Just a pen. A dream. And a heart full of unwritten words.

📚 The First Book… and the Fear

My first self-published book was a collection of poems — vulnerable, raw, real.
Not mainstream. Not marketable.
Just mine.

I uploaded the file. Hit “Publish.”
And waited.

No reviews. No big sales. No applause.
But I felt more alive than I ever had.
Because finally, someone somewhere was reading me.

Then one day, a message came:

“Your book felt like it was written for me. Thank you.”

That one reader became my first reward.

💡 Building a Life of Words

Since then, I’ve written multiple books:

WhatsApp वाला इश्क़ — for every lover who speaks in chats

हर बच्चा न्यूटन हो सकता है — for parents who don’t know how to guide their child

अगर लड़की की शादी उसी से होती जिससे वो मोहब्बत करती थी — for the unspoken dreams of every woman

Each book wasn’t just a release — it was a restoration of self.
A journey from “What will people say?” to “Let them read my truth.”

🧭 Was It Worth It?

Yes. A thousand times, yes.
Not because I became rich.
Not because I became famous.
But because I became whole.

I now wake up every morning not with dread…
but with purpose.

To write.
To heal.
To give someone else what I once needed:
Words that make them feel less alone.

💬 For Anyone Who’s Afraid to Quit

This blog isn’t about telling you to leave your job.
It’s about asking you to listen to your inner knock.

That restlessness inside you?
That thing you keep postponing?
That poem, business idea, art, blog, app, voice?

It’s not going away.
Because it’s not a dream — it’s your truth.

And truth has a way of demanding to be lived.

✨ What I Learned

Comfort is addictive. But growth is outside it.
Respect is great. But self-respect is better.
Failure is possible. Regret is guaranteed.
You don’t need everyone to believe in you — just yourself.

📖 Final Words

If you’re scared to jump, let me tell you — I was too.
But sometimes, the universe catches those who dare.

I’m not just building a career.
I’m building a life — page by page, poem by poem.

And if my journey helps even one person say:

“Maybe I can do it too…”
Then every risk was worth it.

✅ Call to Action for Readers

💌 Thinking of chasing your dream? Or just want to feel seen?
Start with our books — real stories, raw emotions, and reflections from someone who took the leap.
👇
🔗 Explore Our Bookstore | 🔗 Read “WhatsApp वाला इश्क़” | 🔗 Send Your Story