Someone said this to me when I left my last company in January. I had wanted a new job working fewer hours, and she was congratulating me on that. I also mentioned that I was going to get a dog, which was something else that I've wanted forever and brought up in every other conversation.
When she said this, I was taken aback. What did she mean by "You're getting everything that you wanted"? Excuse me? I worked hard for my new job! I had to apply, interview, make a difficult decision. Even before the application process, I worked on making sure I was getting the right experiences at work for years, fixed up my resume and had to weed out the jobs that really suited me. I had to deal with negative reactions from people in my company who didn't appreciate me moving on. Honestly, same thing for the dog! I applied to so many shelters looking for a good fit. There were so many applications where the dog had already been adopted. I was anxious about making the right decision and reinforcing my resolve to train and take care of a dog properly.
I didn't just "get" everything that I wanted all of a sudden. I worked for it. And I'm continuing to work for it by learning new things in my current job and taking care of an aggressive dog. I thought about this sentence for a long long time, even though she probably didn't mean anything by it. But then, I can also reframe the narrative, right? I determined what I wanted, I created a plan to help me get there, I executed... and I succeeded. Along every step, there were challenges, and the direction I moved in wasn't always forward. But nonetheless... I've been able to change my life. This isn't the first time this has happened either.
Before I moved to Seattle, I wanted a life that wasn't Phoenix. I wanted to live in a city of my own choosing.
Before I moved to West Seattle, I wanted to live in a neighborhood with art shops and sushi restaurants within walking distance. To get to where I am now, I formulated a plan, worked hard... and achieved my goals.
So, perhaps rather than being upset that I wasn't recognized for the work I put in to get to where I am now, I should have responded...
When she said this, I was taken aback. What did she mean by "You're getting everything that you wanted"? Excuse me? I worked hard for my new job! I had to apply, interview, make a difficult decision. Even before the application process, I worked on making sure I was getting the right experiences at work for years, fixed up my resume and had to weed out the jobs that really suited me. I had to deal with negative reactions from people in my company who didn't appreciate me moving on. Honestly, same thing for the dog! I applied to so many shelters looking for a good fit. There were so many applications where the dog had already been adopted. I was anxious about making the right decision and reinforcing my resolve to train and take care of a dog properly.
I didn't just "get" everything that I wanted all of a sudden. I worked for it. And I'm continuing to work for it by learning new things in my current job and taking care of an aggressive dog. I thought about this sentence for a long long time, even though she probably didn't mean anything by it. But then, I can also reframe the narrative, right? I determined what I wanted, I created a plan to help me get there, I executed... and I succeeded. Along every step, there were challenges, and the direction I moved in wasn't always forward. But nonetheless... I've been able to change my life. This isn't the first time this has happened either.
Before I moved to Seattle, I wanted a life that wasn't Phoenix. I wanted to live in a city of my own choosing.
Before I moved to West Seattle, I wanted to live in a neighborhood with art shops and sushi restaurants within walking distance. To get to where I am now, I formulated a plan, worked hard... and achieved my goals.
So, perhaps rather than being upset that I wasn't recognized for the work I put in to get to where I am now, I should have responded...
"You're getting everything you wanted!"
"Yes, and here's what I see for myself in the future. "