Hello!

In August 2019, the position I had held for the past 12 years, Personnel Coordinator, in the company that I worked for 22 years, was eliminated. I could have applied for the new position, but I didn’t want to. The hours varied, with required nights and weekend shifts. I already felt like I wasn’t spending enough time with my youngest child, who was almost 10 at the time. Each day I went to work was a struggle. I was burnt out from trying to help everyone and do the job of 2 people.  It was mentally exhausting. I had some great co-workers/management team, but the job wasn’t satisfying anymore. The upper management didn’t seem to care how the new position was affecting those of us in the trenches. The Market Human Resource Manager didn’t reach out once to see if I was staying/why I was leaving/to even say ‘good-luck’ when I left. I know people are replaceable in jobs. I had a manager tell me that once. Although I understood that, I still felt unappreciated. Even the day I left; 22 people signed the going away card. One person for every year I worked there, with a store filled with almost 300 people. I was disappointed, to say the least. However, I took my severance check, applied to Southern New Hampshire University, and began my journey for my Bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing.

I had budgeted for my mortgage, other bills, and college. Then COVID hit and I had to re-think things. God has provided me with the means throughout this pandemic. There was an opportunity to take free college courses, which transferred to SNHU and saved me over $5000. The moral support of my friends, as well as their prayers, have kept my spirits up. I have been able to work on my schoolwork while my son works on his, as he is distance learning this year. Leaving my retail job to pursue my dream of becoming a writer was the best decision I’ve made since choosing to become a mom.