Nine years ago, I was drafting motions at 11 p.m., skipping dinner with friends (again), and wondering how something that looked so successful on the outside could feel so empty inside. I was a labor and employment lawyer—burnt out, overworked, constantly running on caffeine and adrenaline, and knee deep in an eating disorder that no one knew about. I told myself I should be grateful. I passed the California bar exam on the first try—which led to a prestigious job, a great salary, and a clear career path. But deep down, I hated it. And I had no idea how to get out.

Fast forward to today—I’m a full-time content creator, recipe developer, cookbook author and entrepreneur with a successful business I built from scratch—no formal education, no handouts—just a lot of hard work, dedication, consistency. I work harder now than I did in my lawyer days, but the difference is that I love my job. Because I love what I do, it makes the effort I put in to earning a living more enjoyable. And because of that, I’m a lot more pleasant to be around. You see, finding your passion in your career goes beyond just the job itself—it bleeds over into all other areas of life.

So today I’m going to share why I made the leap, how I did it, and how you can build the same kind of freedom for yourself.