Lessons Learned [during the "I hate my job" season]

[caption id="attachment_314" align="alignleft" width="300"] Lessons Learned - Parkwood Counseling Center Emily Yi, LCSW Jacksonville FL 32211 904-725-2500x115[/caption] The previous blog post (check it out here!) listed coping skills for enduring a difficult employment situation while looking for a better fit. I shared how I was employing these coping skills, but only becoming more distressed over the 2 years of working as a therapist at a non profit. The season was not fruitless, however, and I would like to share with you what was learned.

LESSONS LEARNED

I was learning about authority

Authority was placed over me and I was praying for them daily. I was praying for their family and their walk with the Lord. I was looking for ways to be helpful and loving. I was praying that I would be less defensive and angry toward their rules. And this situation worked on me like sandpaper, smoothing some of the ridges.. until I could say with peace, "I will do whatever you ask me to do." (Obviously, within ethical boundaries, which an be grey in the field of managed care.)

I was diligent with my work

I focused on being a great therapist for my clients. Accepting the work load and working as if it was for the Lord was not always my heart. But generally, I learned that I needed to work hard and trust God to take care of the rest. A lot of my misery was fear that I would not have the time I needed or the skills I needed to do a good job. When I just accepting direction from authority and walked forward, God walked along with me and made the way clear.

I prayed

Oh, how I prayed. I prayed on the walk up the stairs to my manager's office that I would be a representative of Christ. I prayed that he would allow for peaceful interactions and strength to communicate honestly. He did. I prayed for sessions to go smoothly and for patience to work through the red tape. He provided.

I was active

I was constantly reading to gain counseling skills and business knowledge to start a private practice. I was browsing job listings and tweaking my resume. I was attending trainings to make myself a more valuable asset to an employer.

Encouragement

If you are in a job you hate, my heart hurts for you. It is a trying season and can feel traumatic. The one regret I have during all of this time being miserable and being around other miserable peers- is that I did not go to professional counseling.

I vented and dumped a lot of my misery on my peers, and, granted... they are professional counselors! However, they were in the same boat I was in. I would have greatly benefited from someone walking me through my life goals, ambitions, accomplishments and value. Someone to reiterate that I am not a quitter because I am looking for a new place of employment. Someone to speak to the negative messages I was received from my current place of employment that "they were the best of the best and people who left always came back". I believe that if I had sought professional counseling I would have given myself more freedom to enjoy my days there and not accept the anxiety that was thrust toward me because I would have been more secure in my value and identity. So consider the step of seeking professional counseling and breaking free from the guilt we carry from not thriving in our current place of employment- so that you can more quickly find a work environment that you can bloom in!