Maria had been working at the same company for seven years. She was the marketing manager and had a team of five people. Her salary was good, and her colleagues were friendly. But something had been bothering her for months. She felt stuck in her position with no room for growth. Every morning, she would sit in traffic and wonder if this was all there was to life. Her passion for marketing had slowly faded over the years. She had always dreamed of starting her own business. Last weekend, she had met an old friend who had recently quit her corporate job. Her friend was now running a successful bakery in the city center. 'Taking that risk was the best decision I ever made,' her friend had told her. Those words had stayed with Maria all week. On Monday morning, Maria arrived at the office earlier than usual. She sat at her desk and looked around the open-plan office. Everything looked the same as it had for the past seven years. The same beige walls, the same fluorescent lights, the same coffee machine. She took a deep breath and made a decision. Today would be the day she would resign. Her heart was beating fast as she opened her laptop. She began typing her resignation letter. 'Dear Mr. Henderson,' she wrote. 'I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign from my position as Marketing Manager.' She paused and stared at the screen. Was she really doing this? Doubts started creeping into her mind. What if she could not find another job? What if her business idea failed? What would her parents think? Her colleague Thomas walked over to her desk. 'You look worried,' he said. 'Is everything okay?' Maria quickly minimized the document on her screen. 'Yes, everything is fine,' she replied with a forced smile. 'Just thinking about a project.' Thomas nodded and walked away. Maria looked at the clock on her computer. It was nine thirty, and Mr. Henderson usually arrived at ten. She had thirty minutes to finish the letter. She continued typing, explaining her reasons for leaving. She wrote about wanting to pursue new challenges and personal growth. She thanked the company for the opportunities she had received. Finally, she wrote her last day would be in two weeks. She read the letter three times before printing it. Her hands were shaking slightly as she picked up the printed page. At exactly ten o'clock, Mr. Henderson walked into the office. He was a tall man in his fifties with gray hair and a stern expression. Maria stood up from her chair. 'Mr. Henderson, do you have a moment?' she asked nervously. He looked at her with curiosity. 'Of course, Maria. Come to my office.' Maria followed him into his corner office with glass walls. She sat down in the chair across from his large wooden desk. 'What can I do for you?' he asked, leaning back in his chair. Maria took a deep breath and handed him the letter. 'I have decided to resign,' she said, her voice trembling slightly. Mr. Henderson's expression changed from curiosity to surprise. He read the letter carefully without saying a word. After a long pause, he looked up at her. 'I must say, this is quite unexpected,' he said. 'You have been one of our best managers.' 'Thank you, sir,' Maria replied. 'But I feel it is time for me to move on and try something new.' Mr. Henderson nodded slowly. 'I understand,' he said. 'May I ask what your plans are?' Maria hesitated for a moment before answering. 'I want to start my own consulting business,' she admitted. 'I have been thinking about it for a long time.' A small smile appeared on Mr. Henderson's face. 'You know, I did the same thing thirty years ago,' he said. 'I left a comfortable job to start this company.' Maria was surprised by his words. 'It was the scariest but also the best decision of my life,' he continued. 'I wish you all the best, Maria.' Maria felt tears forming in her eyes. 'Thank you for understanding,' she said. They shook hands, and Maria walked out of the office. As she returned to her desk, she felt lighter than she had in years. The weight that had been pressing on her shoulders was finally gone. Thomas noticed the change in her expression. 'You look different,' he said. 'Did something happen?' Maria smiled genuinely this time. 'I just resigned,' she said. Thomas's eyes widened in shock. 'What? Are you serious?' he asked. 'Completely serious,' Maria replied. 'I am going to start my own business.' Thomas was speechless for a moment. Then he smiled and patted her on the shoulder. 'Good for you, Maria,' he said. 'I always knew you were meant for bigger things.' That evening, Maria went home feeling excited about the future. She knew the road ahead would not be easy. There would be challenges, setbacks, and moments of doubt. But for the first time in years, she felt truly alive. She was no longer just going through the motions of daily life. She was taking control of her destiny. As she looked out of her apartment window at the city lights, she smiled. A new chapter of her life was about to begin.
English Story (B1)The Resignation
This B1 English story is designed for intermediates learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
Maria, a marketing manager feeling unfulfilled after seven years at her corporate job, makes the difficult decision to resign. Inspired by a friend who left her job to open a successful bakery, Maria writes her resignation letter and presents it to her boss. To her surprise, Mr. Henderson shares his own experience of leaving a comfortable job to start the company thirty years ago. With the support of her colleagues, Maria leaves work that day feeling excited about starting her own consulting business and taking control of her future.
Translations in English
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Comprehension Questions
4 questions
1
What inspired Maria to consider leaving her job?
2
What type of business did Maria want to start?
3
How did Mr. Henderson react when Maria gave him the resignation letter?
4
How long had Maria been working at the company before resigning?
Vocabulary
39 words from this story
