The Untold Story Of Life After Stripping: A Journey To Self-Discovery

No one talks about life after stripping. In June 2023, I decided to quit my job as a stripper. At that point, I had been doing it for 3 years. The decision wasn't easy, but it was necessary for my mental health and personal growth.

When I first started stripping, I loved how flexible this job was. I was my own boss, and I felt free. Stripping helped me gain a lot of confidence. I adored the glitz and glam, the music, and being on stage. The thrill of traveling for work and, of course, the money was a huge draw. I was able to earn a substantial amount of money quickly, but not as easily as some people may think.

However, the glamour of stripping also came with its downsides. I decided to quit because it was starting to take a toll on my mental health. In the industry, I was exposed to a side of people that they don't show to others. Many customers were often drunk or under the influence of substances, and I don't drink or take drugs. Being around such customers drained me emotionally and mentally.

Choosing my mental health over money was a tough decision. But after quitting, I still felt stuck. Adjusting to normal life and finding a decent-paying job was, and still is, challenging. I have worked in hospitality as a waitress and receptionist before, but I struggled to find rewarding positions that could pay my bills.

Looking for personal assistant and executive assistant roles, I found the average salary ranged from £25,000 to £30,000 ($32,000 to $38,000) a year for stressful jobs that could lead to burnout. Living in a city like London, where everything is expensive, made it even harder. For example, I recently paid £9 ($11.60) for olive oil, and rent prices keep rising.

As I browsed job descriptions, I was astonished to see the expectations for overtime, but the salary barely amounted to £2,000 ($2,587) a month. It's difficult to live on a salary like that in a big city. I noticed that even nanny jobs offered better pay and perks than some executive roles I came across.

One of the hardest adjustments was realizing the pride that comes with returning to a normal job. Strippers are used to being compensated well for our time. The idea of working all day for what I could earn in 15 minutes was disturbing. Stripping taught me the value of my time, and I was able to live freely without worrying about my spending.

Returning to a traditional job means I'll have to budget every month and sacrifice certain luxuries. I will have to answer to a manager or director, which means losing a degree of freedom I cherished. Currently, I am still searching for a stable job. If I don't find anything soon, I might consider going back to stripping, but I am determined to avoid that path if possible. My goal is to secure a steady job while working on my social media on the side.

Lola Dalvia is a former stripper and an author. You can find her book STRIP - The Diary of a Hustler on Amazon.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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