The day I was told “Know your place”
Back when I worked in my 9-5 job, in the final couple of years I was there I had a new manager. Nice guy away from work but when in work he had a very old style of managing, kind of “shut up and do what I say” style.
One day during a summer holiday, I was up a ladder doing maintenance on projectors. It was an awkward position to be in and my manager enters the room and tells me to do something. Obviously I had to refuse, I had a projector in my hands that I’d just removed from the ceiling bracket. What he said next helped me decide to start putting things into place to work for myself. He told me “Know your place and just do it!”.
Initially I felt horrible, I felt small and I almost complied, but I started to remember who I truly was and my worth. I questioned what he said and he repeated it once more. It was then that I vowed to get out of there, I was worth SO much more than that!
From that point on, our relationship wasn’t the best, and when a new headteacher arrived and decided to create mass redundancies (also resulting in as many more leaving), my name included, it was the best news ever!
I took that redundancy to launch my coaching business on MY terms, knowing my true value and not being surrounded by politics and egos.
My final day there was at the end of the summer holiday so there was virtually nobody to say goodbye to. It was a day of two emotions, sadness for not being able to say goodbye to friends, but excitement to be getting out of such a toxic environment and into MY world.
This was a huge lesson for me to never let anyone put me down like that. I’m worth more and you know what, SO ARE YOU!!!
It’s horrible when I’m told by clients how they are being put down and made to feel second class. NOBODY should feel that way and that’s why I do what I do.
It breaks my heart seeing people not living their true life, not being themselves and not being able to be themselves. I’ve felt that in the past and I hate the thought of someone else going through that, I use the word “hate” very very rarely!
Please please remember that you are worthy, you are amazing, you are unique.
You are worthy of love, worthy of success and you CAN have the life you desire.
Daz
I identify with this. Appreciation goes a long way. Being talked down to and taken for granted doesn’t make a good working relationship. We all have so much to give, we’re all valuable.
I’d advise anyone to leave a toxic work environment and explore other possibilities. ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’.