The Vast American Employer Wasteland

There are 2 types of American workers, I’ve come to realize. The fortunate (or lucky) and the not. Here is what I mean: the fortunate ones land a good job or 2 throughout their life, maybe promote, get left alone (or are fully liked), get a raise every couple years, then retire after 30. I don’t begrudge them that AT ALL..if you fall into this category, please stop what you are doing right now and thank God. 

The non-lucky on the other hand….always seem to have to swim upstream. Despite doing the correct things we are taught growing up (like being on time and doing your best everyday), do not get promoted, have to beg for raises, or worse ….their positive traits seem to be viewed negatively. 

Guess which one I’ve fallen into the last 5-6 years? 😑

This current American work force is NOT the one of 30, or even 20 years ago. Employers and supervisors only see what they want to see. It makes me sick. 

I’m extremely fortunate in my life in most ways….not work though. 

Funny thing is, I’m not afraid of hard work. 

I’m afraid of being a good employee that gets told I “lack initiative.” (True story.)

I’m afraid of being a good employee that wastes 20-30 years somewhere having to beg for bread crumbs. 

I’m afraid of being a good employee that gets lied about, which essentially ruins careers. (True story.)

I’m afraid of being a good employee where nothing I do is good enough. 

I’m afraid of not having a retirement. 

I’m afraid of the fact that my family was/is a “work for the man” family, so I was never taught working for myself was an option. 

I’m afraid of the neck pain, back pain, and crushing exhaustion I’ve dealt with for almost a year. 

I’m afraid of the huge clump of hair I combed out last night. 

I’m afraid of the nausea and insomnia I get thinking about going to work. 

I’m afraid I may struggle with feelings of failure for a long time. 

I’m afraid that it’s come to cord cutting. Seriously. To meet my man, I had to cut the dating and man cord. Then suddenly, he appeared. So, I am going to be cutting the employer/employee cord. 

Maybe that will attract what I deserve in a job, maybe it won’t. All I know is that this loop, this 5-6 years of ridiculousness needs to go. I am not the cool kid, the popular kid, the person that skates by on looks. But what I am is a good person and good employee. I was raised to use my brain and work ethic and employers don’t want that anymore. That’s the nauseating part. 

Those faithful few on my facebook know almost everything about this sad, but true, story. I’ll probably expand on it more here sometime.

I will be cutting the cord and making my own way. My life and my health depend on it.