27/06/2026
When I was 26, I tried to quit my job. I was working part time as a retail employee at REI, and part time at REI headquarters. I was constantly asking for more work, advocating for myself, and just generally elbowing my way into meeting rooms and hoping to be taken seriously - but I felt like I was getting nowhere. I was called overly opinionated, told to know my place, or viewed as difficult. I had just been told by someone to âbe less ambitiousâ, and that felt like such a blow - so I had decided to start applying for other jobs, even ones that had nothing to do with the outdoors.
When I told my manager, she offered to write me any recommendations I needed - but she also encouraged me to hold on a little longer and see if I could make my dream job a reality.
A year later, with tons of help from that manager (as well as the team I was on and so many other folks I had the pleasure of working with) I accepted a full time job in a role that she had helped create for me. It wasnât the dream job, but it was a big step in the right direction.
I did eventually quit that job - but I didnât leave the outdoor industry. And I didnât become less ambitious, and I definitely didnât become less opinionated. Iâm still probably difficult to work with (just ask Rainer!) but Iâm forever grateful for the people in my 20s who showed me what it looks like to advocate for yourself and the people you care about.
If you read this far: I have so many managers and coworkers and Green Vests across the country to thank, and more than one instance where I wanted to quit and stuck around just because of the people. So thank you, all of you.
