I went through the exact same thing as you, and I needed some time to explore different ways of living. I tried being a drone pilot, a kayak guide, and a paddleboard instructor and learned a lot in the process.
After those forays I designed and built a trailered coffee from scratch and now I run it on a public park that overlooks the ocean.
I am more fulfilled than ever, I can pay my bills, and I get to do WAY more "real" engineering than the bureaucracy of my past life at FAANG ever allowed for.
Thanks for your positive story. How were your finances before you got off the rat race? Were you quite comfortable for a risky situation or you just risked it and it worked out?
I was in an extremely good spot financially when I quit (years of runway) due to living well below my paycheck for years of working at FAANG.
I was terrified to do so, but the only alternative I could see at the time was killing myself if I had to continue as is (lots of mental illness prior to and greatly exacerbated by my time in tech).
It is the biggest leap of faith I have ever taken, and I do not have a big appetite for financial risk.
After those forays I designed and built a trailered coffee from scratch and now I run it on a public park that overlooks the ocean.
I am more fulfilled than ever, I can pay my bills, and I get to do WAY more "real" engineering than the bureaucracy of my past life at FAANG ever allowed for.