Bittersweet Goodbye: Turning In My Notice with Gratitude and Clarity

After learning that my job will not allow me to continue working once we move, I have officially decided that I am quitting my job before moving to Spain.

Even typing that feels heavy.

I planned to give my notice yesterday. I had rehearsed the conversation in my head. I had prepared myself emotionally. But I had to leave work early for an appointment with my husband, so the moment passed.

And then something unexpected happened.

The $200 Bonus

After I left for the day, I received a notification that I had been given a $200 bonus to celebrate my 3-year anniversary of working with them. I stared at my phone for a few seconds, unsure how to feel.

On one hand, I was happy. It felt like recognition. Like appreciation. Like someone saw my effort and valued it. On the other hand, it made everything feel more complicated.

Quitting my job before moving to Spain already carries emotional weight. Receiving a bonus right before turning in my notice added another layer. It felt like the company saying, “We appreciate you,” at the exact moment I am preparing to walk away.

That mix of gratitude and sadness is hard to explain.

Trying to Make Sense of It

What I continue to struggle with is understanding why they will not let me continue working after we move.

This is a company with employees all over the world. They talk about global growth. They speak confidently about becoming a dominant global force. They hire internationally.

Yet somehow, I cannot transition to working as a 1099 contractor from another country.

It simply does not make sense to me.

I have tried to look at it from every angle. Compliance. Taxes. Corporate structure. Risk management. Maybe there are factors I cannot see. Maybe the decision is bigger than my individual role.

Still, it is difficult not to feel confused.

Quitting my job before moving to Spain was never my original plan. I wanted to continue contributing. I wanted to finish strong and carry that stability into our next chapter. But sometimes doors close even when you are willing to keep them open.

Choosing Peace Anyway

Despite the confusion, I feel calm.

I have other contracts in place. I have worked independently for years. I know how to manage my workload and income streams. Financially, we will be fine.

That knowledge makes quitting my job before moving to Spain feel less like a risk and more like a pivot.

The security I thought I needed from this role was never truly the only option. It was just the most visible one.

Now I am reminded that I built flexibility into my career long ago.

Happiness and Sadness at the Same Time

This season feels full of emotional contradictions.

I am excited about Spain. I am proud of the contracts I have lined up. I feel confident in my ability to make this transition smoothly.

And yet, there is sadness.

There is sadness in closing a chapter. Sadness in leaving colleagues. Sadness in walking away from something familiar. Quitting my job before moving to Spain marks the end of a routine that shaped my days for years.

The bonus almost made it harder, not easier.

It reminded me that I was valued. That my work mattered. That I was part of something.

But sometimes growth requires letting go of even the good things.

Trusting the Bigger Picture

I keep coming back to this thought: if they had agreed to let me work abroad, I probably would have stayed comfortable. I would have kept one foot in our old life while stepping into the new one.

Instead, this forces a cleaner break.

Quitting my job before moving to Spain feels like stepping fully into the next chapter without hesitation. No halfway commitments. No divided focus.

It is uncomfortable, yes.

But it is also clarifying.

Turning In My Notice

In the next few days, I will officially turn in my two weeks’ notice.

I plan to do it with gratitude. With professionalism. With appreciation for what this role gave me. I do not want to leave with frustration. I want to leave with dignity.

Quitting my job before moving to Spain is not about resentment. It is about alignment.

This company was part of my journey. It helped shape my skills and my experience. It provided stability during an important season of our lives.

Now that season is ending.

Moving Forward with Confidence

The $200 bonus will likely be one of the last deposits I receive from them. And oddly, I am thankful for it. It feels like a small acknowledgment at the closing of a chapter.

But my focus is forward.

I have contracts that energize me. I have flexibility that supports our move. I have clarity about where we are headed.

Quitting my job before moving to Spain is not a loss. It is a transition.

A moment of happiness and sadness all wrapped into one.

And that feels like exactly what this entire journey has been — letting go with gratitude while stepping boldly into what is next.