This year ‘Life’ reminded me about knowing my worth. Well, in fairness, it had been telling me for the last year, and because I was not listening to it the messages got harder…..

Over the past three years I have been working in Corporate and working from home. I was treated badly, discriminated against because of where I lived (which is surprising given the situation in Ireland) , and over time the place became toxic.

Bought out they started ramping up the cost of the insurance they sold, and generally treated the staff badly. Working from home you had to press an aux code that said you were in the loo!

You literally could not move from your seat without being asked where you were what you were doing, and being questioned that were away from your seat too long (2 minutes).

The systems being put in place were to set the agents up to fail. One minute you had to report ALL instances of dissatisfaction the next you were raising too many! Given that nearly everyone you spoke to was dissatisfied you didn’t know your head from your arse.

A year ago a good friend who I had only ever spoken to remotely, but built a rapport, left. She was a really good agent, but she’d had enough. My gut started telling me it was time for me to leave. But I had got myself trapped in the ‘working from home’ bubble: I had to be there for the puppies (can you believe they are three now?) The money we were saving on fuel, more time (I know now what a load of crap that was!).

During all this I was totally ignoring the fact that I was piling weight on, not hard to do when all you do is sit on your arse all day! My leg was getting worse (for those new to this blog I have a chronic injury to my S.I. joint) and I did not realise just how much I put off going out at all. It’s a dangerous place. Add to that the toxicity was mounting I needed to get out.

I was reminded every few weeks that they were getting rid of all their temporary staff, at one point that I was the only one left. I was marked down on my audits, with no evidence as to why. When I questioned it I was told it’s just the way it is. I was given shitty call backs because ‘ I could do it’. I could do it. I remained professional. What is the point of going to work and doing a shit job? Perhaps it’s age, perhaps I was my own worst enemy. But it’s about maintaining your own mentality.

By May I’d had enough, my stomach was screaming at me by now! I know my worth. I am too old to listen to people keep talking shit! In fact when I look back I kept getting upset stomachs now I don’t!

I applied for a job and it turned out to be for another temping agency, but the contracts were all for the HSC.NI back in the public sector, back in health. I was interviewed on the Wednesday, and handed my notice in the following Tuesday, they had found me a job!

The relief I felt telling them I was leaving, the pleasure I got giving them the minimum amount of notice!

My only regret was that I was leaving my other good friend behind. We kept each other sane at times, and now I was leaving her in the asylum. I cried when the beautiful flowers in the photo arrived from her, the day after I left.

What have I learned? Listen to your gut (I’ve come to realise that is just a recurring theme through life!) That I am too old to talk shit to people because a company wants me to. That I am just not a corporate girl. I won’t cut a call short when I am talking to an 85 year old man who cannot use the internet. I will help him, and fuck you if you don’t like it.

That I worked from home for too long! More of that to come.

I have been in my new job seven weeks, and the contract has been extended! The puppies have been such good girls, and RD has dropped another day from work. Life is too short to work for insecure people who don’t appreciate you. Trust me when I say that!

Moisy