Well, folks, life sure has a way of pulling the rug out from under you just when you think you’ve got a good footing.
This past week, I got laid off. Yep, they closed the marketing department because ownership has been making decisions so terrible, they’re verging on bankruptcy. The kicker? I was sitting on 211 hours of vacation time I didn’t get to use because, for the last year I was the only person in the company who could do my job.
Last spring, out of the blue, they decided to launch an event company in addition to our five cannabis brands. What followed was months of 80-hour weeks where I balanced marketing for six stores, a delivery service, and helped roll out packaging on our own line of products. I now have to get steroid injections in my spine every three months because of my time hunched over a desk for them.
So, here’s a little piece of advice from me to you: use your vacation time. Seriously. It’s not your problem if they can’t manage without you; that’s their own damn fault. Being salaried doesn’t mean you’re always on call. I was a marketing director, not a surgeon. Take whatever you can get because trust me, they will drop you and move right on without a second glance. Companies are not 'family'.
The last few days have been a bit of a haze. I keep reaching for my phone or computer, thinking I need to call this business or schedule that advertisement, only to remember—I don’t have to. This sudden freedom is bizarre and a bit unsettling, but it also makes me incredibly grateful for the inspiration I’ve found in getting back into my old hobbies and writing. Without those, I’d be feeling pretty empty right now.
I’ve been diving back into everything from painting to crafting chainmail, from writing poetry to even considering restarting my podcast (stay tuned for that one). These hobbies, while time-consuming, offer a kind of reward that work never did. They allow me to escape the grind and focus on something that brings me joy without the pressure of a looming deadline or the constant need to be “on.”
So, if you take away anything from my rambling, let it be this: prioritize yourself. Use your vacation time. Dive into hobbies that make you happy. Don’t let work consume you because, at the end of the day, you are replaceable to them, but your well-being and happiness are irreplaceable. And if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, know that it’s okay to take a step back, breathe, and rediscover what makes you, you.
Life’s too short to be hunched over a desk for a company that doesn’t value you. Find your joy, hold onto it, and don’t let anyone take that away from you.