I went from school principal to Anthropologie employee. The step down was exactly what I needed.

Renee Devore works at Anthropologie. Courtesy of Renee Devore Renee Devore spent 25 years in education before realizing she couldn't keep going. Devore quit without another career or a partner to financially support her. Working at Anthropologie gave her space to figure out who she was without her title. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Renee Devore . It has been edited for length and clarity. In 2022, I was working in Anthropologie in the mall when a woman approached me, looking surprised, and asked me why I was working in retail. She recognized me from my previous life as the principal at her child's school. "I'm not a principal anymore," I told her, smiling. I had worked in education for 25 years before I decided to give it up to pursue what was next, not knowing what that next was.