I consider myself to be hard worker. Every job that I have ever had, I believe I have always put in 100% regardless if I loved that job (of the time) or not. I show up on time ( or a half hour early), do what is asked of me, am very good at time management and work until it's time to go home (or state later if needed).

I am respectful to my bosses and coworkers as well, and I am a huge team player, and I am not one to complain at all, unless I am having a bad day (which is almost never). I would never leave early unless planned or until all my work for that day was done.

I have a family and I have always been responsible. I have always worked and never left a position without having another job lined up right after the two weeks was up when I would give notice. Every choice that I make effects my family directly. People are dependent on me financially.

I would never treat anyone the way that I would not want to be treated. Period. Too, that also goes the other way as well, I would never let someone talk down to me, especially, if they were my boss and I felt as if I was being talked down to or treated as if I was below them. They way that I see it, you are an employee of a company and you are (being part a of team) working towards the same goal of making money. Right? You show up to work, you get paid and you go home. You are striving everyday to meet your work goals to make the company you work for money. Am I right?

One day I put my foot down. I have had a previous conversation with a former boss about her tone when talking to me one day. I had let her know that I do not talk to my children in that manner and she certainly wasn't going to talk to me in that manner either.

I was so angry. Who did she think she was? Did she think she was better then I was with having a bachelors degree and a masters as well? I was working for her independent company trying to make her money? I was floored to say the least, and I though we went well past that phase and moving forward nicely, until it happened again.

YES, AGAIN!!!

This time was not a direct approach, it was through an email. Again, I would have been fine if the email itself was to just me directly, but she had cc'd a coworker as well on this email, and that is when I put my foot down, and wasn't going to deal with this situation with her again.

I had gotten a call from the co worker that was cc'd on the email and she was also in shock about what it had said as well. She apologized for her, but it didn't rectify the situation on hand that I was dealing with. We had a short conversation on the phone, and wanted me to take a day and think about the decision that I was faced to make. She didn't want me to make any rash decisions then and there but also assured me that if I did, it would have been rectified. She knew where I was coming from, and in addition, I had seen this type of behavior she had had towards other employees as well, and I wasn't going to let that happen to me again.

So, I had replied to the email, and I had done the deed of sending it to everyone that I was in contact with at the other off location office. I was done. I had told her exactly how I felt in that email, I let my office keys and walked out the door. Done.

At that very moment I had felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I felt so free and liberated at the same time. I had gotten one text from her and one call on my ride home that day and never heard from her again.

I had gotten several emails from the office girls thanking me and giving me praise of what I had done. I felt as if in that very moment if I didn't stand up to her, then nothing was going to change. I didn't want to feel trapped in a job in where I wasn't respected and my opinion didn't matter. I knew other girls had felt the way I did as well, and from what I had heard, there was a meeting to talk about things after I had left. What I did that day opened the door of communication in the office to let their voices be heard. I was happy to hear about that. Unfortunately, some girls had said that the meeting itself didn't help much and other too found their paths and have also moved on to bigger and better things.

I felt horrible as the coworkers that I left behind, but I needed to stand up for myself, and that is what I had done. I found my self worth.

Panic did set it for a few days, as I am always responsible and have jobs lined up. I have never done anything like this before, and it was exactly eight days before Christmas, and I had no idea as to what I was going to do next. For once in my life, I had no plan.

But all things happen for a reason.

I began subbing after the holiday break at my kids school. I loved going to work and being with kids on a daily basis. I have found my calling and this has since inspired me to go back to school and get my bachelors degree and have a strong desire to be a teacher. I am going to graduate in December, then in hopes I will get certified so I can then teach at the high school level, then work on a masters program.

Know your self worth, and once you do, you won't ever be sorry. I know I'm not.