I used to spend Friday through Sunday in a spiral of dread anxiety and self-resentment.
Now it's just a weekend. We sleep in. We go to a brewery with friends. We sometimes go to a quiet afternoon service where we show up 5 minutes late and leave when baby is hungry.
Leaving ordained ministry has had griefs big and small, and having a newborn is not at all easy, but my mental health has incontrovertibly improved in the past month. It's an undeniable confirmation that leaving was the right thing for me and my family.