From speaking to many people in various situations, we seem to have one struggle in common. Knowing our worth. Not just in a financial sense, but as human beings! In a world where we are taught to keep working harder, under tougher conditions, take on more hours (often for free) and somehow keep it all together. Then the evitable burn-out happens.
I was in this cycle for 9 years, getting sicker and sicker, to the point where I was being threatened with disciplinaries for being burnt out because the job was constantly needing more – something which is happening for a lot of front-line, educational, and service workers at the moment. Just look at the number of strikes being implicated at the moment across the board.
I knew that I needed to leave this atmosphere and took steps towards doing this, aiming for next summer (it’s always next summer). However, last month, I resigned from my old job after being signed off sick until the official support I needed was put in place. I waited, and waited, and eventually got told that it would happen eventually but it’d be difficult and they wanted me back in before the support was put in place. I felt like a total inconvenience and a burden for being someone with chronic health issues. I was having meltdowns due to the constant sensory overload before I even started teaching, having to quickly mask to give my best and then crashing at home.
I had to decide whether to keep this pattern going, something that I knew I couldn’t do, and maintain well-being or to leave. It was a hard decision, I love helping people, I love teaching and I care about everyone I worked with, but I knew that someone could take over from me and do the job and the cycle I was in was making me less effective or completely drained. No one else can do my life like me. There’s so much more to life than work, something I’m trying to learn at the moment, so I resigned and finally took charge of my own career. I feel so grateful for the opportunity and the sideline work I had begun generating so I could take the step. It’s going to be a tough few months, but hopefully, much healthier, happier ones.
To all of you struggling out there, you are worth and deserve all of the happiness. Remember to take care of yourself first and then you help others. There’s only one of you.
Serena Redferne Music 