Guest blog by Amy

2020 has been an interesting year for sure. At the end of 2019 and into 2020 began with being put on a performance improvement plan from a manager who had not the first clue how to manage, or how to be a team member for that matter. After the announcement in March of COVID-19 lockdown and our whole office relocating to work from home, I found that work became more stressful. I pondered how that could be possible. Why is this more stressful? I am away from a lot of the drama, this should be a good thing, right? The fact was that my manager was even more involved in every task and because I did not have a commute, I was working more hours than normal. Then in August, my manager finally got what she wanted. I was let go. Never had I experienced any disciplinary actions, negative responses, issues of any kind in my career. People that have worked with me in the past know that I take pride in my work and I put much of myself into my work. I took this as a failure. I kicked myself and tore myself down mentally (not that there was much left after my manager finished with me.) It did not feel real, but it was very much real.

I was angry for a while, I squeezed out a few tears and ultimately kept to myself. I was not in a positive space. But then I realized that I was pushing away the very thing that I needed – my support group. I had friends reaching out to me regularly to check and see how I was doing. I even had coworkers from my previous place of employment reach out to see how I was doing and share that work was not the same without me and that I was missed. I thrive off the energy of others and with COVID and now being jobless I was doing the worst thing for myself, blocking everyone out.

It is easy to fall into a dark place – you will sink like quicksand.

I started reaching out to my friends and my business network. I started connecting again with the people I know and love, and I realized that I am valued, I am appreciated, and I am loved. I needed to remember that I know myself. I needed to tap into the most important resource you can have – people.

Find your passion, lean on the people you know will support you and remember who you are. If you are stuck in quicksand use Thank Forward as a rope and start pulling yourself out. You are important. You have value. You can conquer anything with gratitude. – Amy