25 years in education, then nothing

Renee Devore spent a quarter-century as a teacher and school principal before walking away in June 2022 with no job lined up, no financial partner, and no plan.

“I just knew I could never go back to feeling trapped, to that pressure, to wearing a mask to work every single day.”

Following dad's footsteps into teaching

Her father was a teacher, and with few other career options visible to her growing up, Devore followed the same path. She started teaching by age 21 but quickly felt it wasn't right for her.

Climbing to principal, then hitting a wall

By 32, Devore became an assistant principal, then principal a year later. She led high-achieving schools with creativity and freedom, but when she changed districts around the time her father died, she felt unsupported and exhausted from masking her true personality.

“I was bubbly, kind, creative, and a peacemaker. But that isn't the person I was when I was working. I was wearing a mask all the time.”

A year in Mexico didn't bring answers

In 2017, Devore sold her condo, car, furniture, and clothes to take a year off in Puerto Vallarta. She painted and found peace, but returned with no clarity about her future and drifted back into education.

A panic attack forced the decision

After a year back in education, Devore had a panic attack so severe she thought she was having a heart attack. She took FMLA leave, called her therapist out of retirement, and realized she could never return to that job.

Walking into Anthropologie with no script

Two months after quitting, Devore walked into an Anthropologie store she loved and asked the manager for a job. She started part-time two weeks later, a role that let her nervous system finally settle.

“I walked into the mall two months after I ended my 25-year career and asked to see the manager.”

Retail work became the reset button

Working at Anthropologie gave Devore stillness and fun without the intensity. Her identity wasn't tied to her title or salary. After more than a year of decompressing, she finally knew what was next.

“I learned there that I was enough, just me.”

From retail to life coaching and her own business

Once her nervous system settled, Devore discovered her next path: life coaching, motivational speaking, and owning her own business. The unraveling from her intense career took more than a year, but clarity finally came.