I’m an overcomer and I can’t allow anyone to take that away from me; I have overcame being a single mother to one of my children. I overcame health issues and the loss of some very important people in my life. Despite my odds, I chose to persevere but what do you do when you put your best foot forward in a situation where the person goes out of their way to rip you down?
Things are going better than expected. My health is back on track, I’ve left the meat alone, I have found my balance with Amilyah and Aniya and I’m ready to go back to work. Although this time, I didn’t want to just work anywhere. See, I believe that a person is born with gifts and purpose and that’s exactly what I wanted to do-work in purpose. I got into a program that helps individual’s get employment and I knew I wanted to be a part of an organization that help’s others. I wanted to make a difference. I put my best foot forward in looking for a job and I found just that. I landed an interview at a nonprofit that helps individuals who are in recovery and battles with substance abuse. The owner and I hit it off well. Her name is Ms. Lawton, and she was looking for an Administrative Assistant and even though I didn’t have experience in that field, she gave me a chance and I was nothing more than excited and grateful. I was getting the hours I wanted, the pay I wanted, and the job wasn’t too far from my house. I was in purpose and helping others. I was winnin’! Everything I prayed for I got EXCEPT for working with the right people and my goodness how the tables turned quick.
My second week the boss came back, and I knew on that very day working with her would not only be a challenge, but it wouldn't work
When I started the job, my first day was good! My boss was out of town, so I was under the instruction of someone else. I was doing training, meeting new people, and helping with clients who were in recovery. I was really getting a feel of the business and to be a part of something that is helping give back to others made me feel good. My second week the boss came back, and I knew on that very day working with her would not only be a challenge, but it wouldn’t work but I was going to ride it out. Now mind you, during the interview I told her there were a lot of things I did not know but I would give working for her my best… apparently, she forgot that conversation because she was not pleased with me at all. Now my boss could be very nasty with her words and the way she would talk to people (myself included) could bring a grown woman or man to tears. I could remember being so stressed out that I literally cried in the bathroom for about a good five minutes, and I wasn’t the only one she brought to tears. She and I weren’t getting along, and everyone knew it. It seemed like nothing I did could please her and I was out of options to be honest, I stopped trying. I wasn’t going to quit but I most certainly was going to stay as long as I could. I had my own office, and several people would ask me was I going to set it up and make it my own and every time I would answer no. My workday seemed to always have the same outcome and that’s her yelling and fussing at me about something I did or didn’t do. Now, prior to meeting her, people would warn me about her. I could remember asking one of my coworkers why the company had such a high turnover rate and she looked at me smiled and said, “You’ll see” and I most certainly did because working with Ms. Lawton was almost impossible.
During our conversation she kept reminding me how I wasn’t cut out for a position like this and how she was pawing me off to other departments
Two months into my position as an Administrative Assistant and I already hated going to work. I was unhappy, sad, and miserable but I went because I have children to feed and because to me, that job was working in purpose. The more she and I collided, the more the tension grew and everyone in that building knew and felt it-I even had a few people tell me how sorry they were I was working so closely to her. It wasn’t until my boss chewed one of my coworkers out so badly, she was in her office crying. I called her later that night to check on her and when we got off the phone it was the way she said bye that caught my attention. I knew then, I was fired. That Monday when I walked into work, my boss came storming in and shut the door behind her. I sat down and she sat down and just like that she fired me. Not only did she fire me, but she tried to pick an argument hoping I would react, and I did not.
During our conversation she kept reminding me how I wasn’t cut out for a position like this and how she was pawing me off to other departments because working with her wasn’t working. I could see in her eyes my calmness was a shock to her. No matter how nasty she was, I always responded with kindness not raising my tone at all. I was so relieved and so happy to be let go because finally I didn’t have to deal with the stress of the job anymore. I wasn’t mad or angry-I was relieved. I never decorated my office because I knew I wouldn’t be there long and the last thing I needed was to be walking out of that place with boxes and bags of stuff-NOPE!
Working for Ms. Lawton taught me a lot: How to remain positive in a negative work environment, and to remember when a person is just angry it literally has nothing to do with you. Now, I may not have done everything she wanted or liked but I now understand what a lot of my previous coworkers were saying about her. I don’t wish bad on her; I just hope that one day she realizes the way she treats people defines who she is as a leader and representative of those who are making the positive change to stay sober. The hardest thing was knowing I had to return home and tell my daughter what happened. I was a mother with responsibilities, so I wasn’t going to be down long. My kids? They keep me going and even though I hit a bump in the rode, things for me would turn around and they did just like that. Glory to God.