31-year-old teacher quit her job. Now she works at Costco—and boosted her income by 50%: ‘I’ve never been happier’

In 2022, I turned 30, quit my eight-year teaching career, and got a job at Costco. 

When I tell people this, they often respond with: “But is Costco your dream job?” or, “Do you think it’s a valid career?” To me, it implied that they thought my decision was a downgrade. And for a long time, I might have agreed. My identity and value were completely tied to being an educator.