Assassan Kitty Starts Over

[Love_Of_Snuggles]

A little over 3 years ago I set out on my Epic West Coast Adventure. I was planning on getting settle, going to graduate school and starting my career. I was also focused on eating and being healthier. My first year in Seattle I lost around 40lbs, was walking around 20k steps a day and doing light weight training 1-2 times a week. I felt great. I entered into a new relationship with a wonderful person and was connecting with my new community. Best of all, I was accepted into my graduate school. Everything was going great. I felt better than I had ever, both physically and emotionally.

 

Segway into year two: My dream job turned into a nightmare, Grad school was great, but because I lived on campus, my walking dropped drastically. Worse of all, my diet took a nose dive. Forget cooking fresh for myself, I was lucky to grab a slice of pizza or a burger on my way to class. I was fired for the first time in my life and, though I agree I wasn't able to meet my supervisors expectation (working full time and grad school full time just didn't mesh) it really hit me hard. Emotionally I felt like a complete failure and physically my heath really suffered. I managed to find a new part-time job, which was amazing, doing exactly what I have always dreamed of doing, and I graduated with my degree in higher education administration. My partner and I even took a trip to Australia and I got to fulfill a lifelong dream of snorkeling the the Great Barrier Reef. I put out over 100 applications, had dozens of interviews, but was offered only 2 positions. One of the hardest hits was the fact that I had gained back all of the weight I had previously lost and was having some diet related health problems again.

 

Enter year 3: I was amazingly deep in debt (not unexpected), had to leave Seattle to find work so lost that amazing relationship, and ended up taking a job that just beats me down every day. I work 6-7 days a week, deal with some of the most entitled adults and student I have ever met, and have no time or ability for a personal life. I gave my notice to my supervisor just 8 months in, but after explaining why I was leaving, she made a very passionate argument that she wanted the changes I did, both in staff and students and, because of my education background, she wanted me to spearhead it. I was very excited to be the catalyst for change, be leave a lasting, positive impact on an organization that has been around for 100 years. (Huberous is a challenging enemy) I would finish out the school year, take my Epic African Adventure, then work on developing changes and training programs over the summer. My summers are supposed to be very part time, 12-15 hours a week, so I would have plenty of time to focus on these new developments and getting back on track with my health and fitness... or so I thought. Instead the corporation board members decided that I should do all of their work this summer (direct quote). I was working more in the summer than I had during the school year, nearly every single day. Every time I schedule time off to recoup before my student moved back, my time was revoked at the last minute. As a result I was already burnt out before my student even set foot on campus.

 

Now begins year 4: I know this will be my last year at this job. It's not something I can be passionate about and the lack of any down time is breaking down my spirit. The 2 weeks before my students moved back I worked every single day, clocking 117 hours. Now with the students back, I have no time for myself except early Saturday and Sunday mornings when they are asleep. I know I need to make some changes to my daily life to set up good habits and coping mechanisms for the future. I have put a significant dent into my student debt and will either leave at the end of the school year or, if things get worse, I will leave at winter break. If I stay through the rest of the academic year I will have enough money to pay off all of my student debt, I will hopefully had time to develop some better habits to support long term good health and (if I'm really lucky) I can put a dent into learning French.

 

Goals for the next 10-12 months:

• Re-establish healthy eating habits
  • Eat out no more than once a week
  • increase veggie intake to 4 servings a day
  • increase water to 8 cups a day
  • decrease junk food intake (need to figure out how to measure this one)
  • Maintain a food log
• Get moving Again
  • increase daily steps to 20k
  • physical therapy/ stretching daily
  • weights 3-4 times a week
  • walk the Berkeley Hills once a week
• Get my stuff organized
  • downsize where needed
  • dispose of items no longer used
• Maintain healthy work boundaries (I've already established them)
• Develop coping mechanisms for handling stress and disrespectful people
• Research where I would like to live (realistically, Tahiti isn't super attainable)
• Research what area of Higher Education I would like to work with
• Work on learning a second language (French)
• HAVE SOME FUN!
  • Make a list of things I would like to do while in CA and do them
  • Make time to go out to different events and activities (Game Night!)

 

This next week I'll be working on developing some SMART Goals, getting my Daily Checklist updated and getting ready for both the next challenge and my long term goals.

[Diadhuit]

Hi,
Can I just say your job sucks? Expecting you to overwork when you shuld recoup and get your time off stolen?
Where is your supervisor in this? They were supposed to be on your side...
Anyway, I like your goals, especially the work ones, related to finding out what you want.

[Love_Of_Snuggles]

My supervisor isn't a particularly strong individual so although she doesn't (most of the time) add to my struggles, she doesn't stop others from doing so.

What's really disappointing to me is that I don't feel that I can give my best to my students. However, financially I will be debt free by the end of May if I stay here so...

I'm also excited to start exploring how I want to launch my career.

[Diadhuit]

My supervisor isn't a particularly strong individual so although she doesn't (most of the time) add to my struggles, she doesn't stop others from doing so.
What's really disappointing to me is that I don't feel that I can give my best to my students. However, financially I will be debt free by the end of May if I stay here so...
I'm also excited to start exploring how I want to launch my career.

I understand now. You are giving your best to your students. Your employers are limiting what your best is, so that's on them.
As a person not too far from burnout, please remember to take plenty of time to recover and rest.

[rochellesanch]

Holy smokes, what a tough career and life you have had. Maybe it's time to cut back and not expect so much of yourself? You seem to be a very reliable and hard working person (to a fault, maybe?) that you're already programmed to get all of it done, no matter what the wear and tear is on your body and your personal life.

Wishing you lots of success in this challenge! Keep checking in and being honest with yourself, and focus on the kind of life you want to have a year from now. You've got what it takes to make a difference in your own life!

Cheering you on! Go you!

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[fitnessgurl]

Yikes! So not fair! 

*lots of hugs*

Hoping things change for the better.

If they ask you to do any more...tell them no way. There's enough on your plate. Stand up for yourself if necessary.

Don't be afraid to lose a job you're miserable at anyway.