SoberHoopsFan

As some of you know from my initial posting here, I was technically on a medical leave of absence to get myself cleaned up. However, as it turned out, in my absence, mistakes and other things were uncovered that necessitated that my firm part ways with me. They're giving me a decent deal to simply resign, which I accepted.

This is honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. The job was making me miserable and the stress and pressure was unbearable. Plus, it was unpleasant, nasty work. In sobriety, that is not how I envision my life's work being. I want to do something else. This now officially gives me that opportunity. In the past, this would have set off a drinking binge, but I don't even want a drink right now. I know that drinking is not a solution to this event, or any event. I feel oddly in a good mood, maybe a sense of relief.

Just thought I would share, I appreciate everyone's posts on here, it helps me a lot.

PurpleKnight

Sometimes the end to something can be the start of an amazing new chapter in life!!

SoberHoopsFan

That's really what I'm hoping for. Going to work on my sobriety for a bit, collect unemployment, then figure out the next steps. I would never have achieved happiness in that other job, at least not what I am looking for....

badger1172

I sure wish you the best! I can relate to your being unpleasant and not helping with your recovery. I had a job once where I was in the uppermost leadership role for my company and that's when my drinking really began to spiral out of control. I sure hope you can find a job you love here in the near future. Seems like whenever we decide to recover, it causes a chain reaction of negative things that follows to make it even more difficult, but how I like to think of it, is karma clearing the way for your recovery so you can just get that bad stuff out of your life for good.

RainbowDash

I had a post sent to me....
open door closes and another door opens..... but the bit in the corridor can be a real struggle.

Sounds like the job was part of your problem.... sure you will find yourself where you need to be, but you might just need to try a few different things first as you grow through this and the stress you've had...

:-)

SoberHoopsFan

I know my drinking and the mistakes it led to is why they wanted to move on from me. I accept that. Trying not to look at this as a negative thing, but an opportunity. At the very least, it's freedom from that pressure

ScottFromWI

Best of luck with new opportunities and kudos to you for owning up to your mistakes. And most importantly, great job on seeing the bright side and staying sober!

TravelinMan

I hope it all works out. But it's prudent not to get into too good of a mood. Sometimes euphoria leads us back down the same dark trail again, just as easily as depression.

I know that personally.

Try to keep that balance. I know it's not easy.

SoberHoopsFan

Thanks. No point in trying to hide my mistakes anymore. I used to let past events dictate my future actions (drinking). That's not a way to live, I can't change what happened...

EJ43

Looks like you have a fresh start across the board! Take it and run! Go for it!

Gonnachange

Wishing you well. Due to a corporate reduction I was let go from my position a little over 20 years ago. Good package, etc., but with a wife and a child it was scary. Took me a little while to get settled, but that trigger event has led me to be in a wonderful position regarding family and finance.

Your attitude about looking at this as an opportunity is a fine one because it truly is a chance for you to seek something that will bring more balance to your life.

tomthern

I know how you feel. I lost my job a year ago. I wasn't happy there and the management was not great. I had been unhappy for a long time. I got another job which I am much happier in. I stayed because I thought I should. It can happen I was 25 years sober at the time and made it to 26 happier and stronger. This is the chance to start again and find what you really want.

KAD

Sounds like the job I had prior to my current job. I was incredibly miserable. I felt my heart sink every time I drove into the parking lot. My drinking got worse than ever while I was there, and my marriage was falling apart on top of that. The day they laid me off and handed me a 2-month severance package was one of the happiest days of my life! Unfortunately, I did continue to drink for a while after that, but did stop a couple months later. Then I found a better job. Then my marriage ended, but I was very unhappy with it, as well.

Sounds like you're keeping your chin up and looking at this as a step in the right direction. Best of luck to you!

SoberHoopsFan

Thanks, man. I can relate. Every time walking through those doors my heart sort of sank and my drinking grew worse than ever while at this job. I wish I had that 2 month package, but I'll take what they are giving me!

FreeOwl

this is a very cool post.... my favorite part is how you're focused on the reasons to be grateful for what could be seen as a terribly devastating event.

well done!!!

also, while I really don't want to lose my job as a means of addressing the issues, I can deeply relate to this;

"Plus, it was unpleasant, nasty work. In sobriety, that is not how I envision my life's work being. I want to do something else."

bigsombrero

Good for you, man. Seems like you know deep down that this was for the best.

For what it's worth, I went through a similar situation. Basically I just stopped showing up at my firm when I hit rock bottom, and I received a "separation of employment" letter. Alas, I continued to drink after I was released and things got worse before they got better.

Keeping your sobriety the #1 priority is very important right now, and it's encouraging to hear that you know this. And yep: when a door closes, often a window opens in the very same room. I think you are in a better spot. Lots of changes are needed to make a successful transition to sobriety, and this is probably a helpful start for you.

LBrain

WOW! Welcome to the club hoopsfan. I posted something similar not too long ago.
However, I didn't get a sweet deal to resign. Haven't had income for over a month.

The thing is, I'm kinda glad I don't have to go back to that place. In the long term I am better off not having to continue with what I was doing.

Keep up the good attitude. Don't lose focus on your sobriety - that's the big bonus coming out of this for me.
Hang in there and when you are ready, the doors will open up for you.

ElleDee

That is so true. I have experienced that in my own life with regard to job (as a matter of fact).

Dee74

Sorry you lost your job but I'm glad you're still sober and feeling positive SHF

D

AcceptingChange

I'm sorry you lost your paycheck, but it doesn't sound like the employment was matching your skills and desire. I lost my manager job last year, and was reassigned to a staff position. It took months to emotionally work through the embarrassment. But after i did work through it, i realized i truly did not like the position i was in. I was constantly meeting with angry vp's who would over-simplify complicated projects. And then i'd have to meet with with staff and try to communicate that they had MORE work to do.
All the books i read said that simply by communicating to senior management the difficulties of the staff's situation, that the senior managers would work with me to resolve the situation. But that didn't happen. The senior team just blames the messenger for not being "tough". Discussions quickly turn to angry confrontations over the smallest implication that things "aren't going smoothly". I truly felt like a whipcracker.
And that role was horrible to my spirit. I could relate to the stressed out team much more than i could relate to the greedy vp's with their ability to dismiss evidence with fancy phrases and then oversimplify the task in 3 sentences and declare to the room that the tasks "aren't that hard".
I was hated by management & by staff. I was aware of it, and i was watching myself become a person i didn't like. And the knowledge that the VPs were making 4x the money as the staff because management are selected by their skill of knowing how to coerce others by any means possible didn't help.

In my case, the job was emotionally wrenching because workers are constantly hounded to do more/better/faster and change/change/change, and the workers are silently threatened with losing their job. And the workers respond by angrily glaring at the manager, resentfully compliant and withholding information because that information is their power. The result of that situation for me was binge drinking & sedatives. And in the end, neither the VPs nor the staff were happy. Ugh. Good riddance to it all.
When we garden, a flower is sometimes clipped off to allow an even bigger blossom. I hope that is the case for you.