It was a year ago today when I quit my old job and finally got out of a miserable environment. I had worked at that company since basically getting out of college, risen through the ranks, and put up with more crap than any one person should. I am born and bred a midwestern, hard working, loyal employee, I'm the kind of girl that will give an employer her heart and 1000% of her effort and all I ask in return is to be treated fairly. Sadly, the company I worked for was not so great at the fair part, had a lot of top managers change on a regular basis, and for 8 of the 12 years I was miserable.


I can't tell you why it took me so long to leave, it was the hardest thing I ever have done. I loved the people I worked with, I believed in the goals of the company, I loved the work that I did, but there was a posion in that environment. It made me sad, angry and unhappy most of the time, I worked all the time, and when I wasn't working, I thought about work. Hubby hated that place and was very worried about what it was doing to me. My kids saw the effects when I would come home angry, tired and unresponsive. You think being a shitty wife and mom would have snapped me out of it, but I was so committed to staying, almost like an abused wife, honey you just don't understand, they are going to get better, they've promised me x, y, and z.


Then one day Buffalo girl slapped me across the face and said "i'm sick and fucking tired of hearing the same story from you year after year, you need to wake the fuck up and realize they are not going to change." I hate it when she's right. And it worked, I looked at the situation with fresh eyes, and I committed myself to an exit strategy. A year ago today I submitted my resignation and it is possibly one of the greatest feelings of my life. I felt like I'd escaped from Alcatraz. So many of the staff came up to me with that look of envy, promises of their pending escape as well, and I knew most would stay, that place sucked you in and could keep you forever.


This past year has been amazing for me, my new job is not perfect, it's not even all that challenging, it's like a transition boyfriend, not Mr. Right, but good enough for right now. People who see me keep commenting on how different I look, how happy I seem, how relaxed I am, and it's true, I really am. Hubby is thrilled because I'm not bitching about work all.the.time. The kids are glad to have their mom back, and me, I'm just glad I finally saw the light.


I know that I will never invest as much emotional energy in an employer again, they'll get my work, but not my heart. I also know that I will never stay in a situation that is broken -yes work has it's ups and downs, and it's never good all the time, but some places are worse than others, and usually it ends up being about the people. A company with good leadership will have good managers and good staff. A company with bad leadership will have fucked up situations and fucked up people - i'll consult for those companies, but I will never be an employee of theirs. As for Buffalo Girl, well she's my bestest friend in the whole wide world, and I am so damn lucky to have someone in my life who can slap some sense into me when i need it most. And Hubby,the fact that he put up with my shit for all those years - better person than I am. He's thinking blow jobs for life would be a great way to say thanks, I figure, big screen TV should do the trick.


I'm walking on sunshine (whoa oh)
I'm walking on sunshine (whoa oh)
I'm walking on sunshine (whoa oh)
And don't it feel good!