"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" - Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

Ever since I was in eighth grade, I knew I wanted to be an event planner. After planning a Black & White party, I was hooked. There’s a certain thrill of starting a project and going through the motions and seeing the end product unfold before your eyes. Not to mention, the excitement and anticipation of an upcoming event that you’ve planned from start to finish. I couldn’t wait to start setting up the day of the party. I remember feeling all the emotions: anxiousness, fear, nervousness, excitement, accomplishment. All I wanted was a successful party.

Throughout college, I never doubted majoring in Hospitality Management – it felt natural. My mom asked several times if I ever thought about changing majors. Negative.

After school, I had several jobs, each a promotion from the last and getting closer and closer to the career I envisioned. My first corporate job was a real kick in the butt. I have to be clear, though. I enjoyed the job itself, however, some of the people I worked with were less than professional. Even though I had been in the ‘real world’ for a couple years, this specific office environment wasn’t healthy.

My boss was manipulative, mentally and emotionally abusive, condescending and just an overall bad person. I held position the lowest within the department, but I worked hard to prove that I was the right person for the job and that I was ready for a promotion. After my entire team agreed that I was ready to move up to the next level, I applied for the position and went through the interview process – with my boss.

That’s when she shut me down. Hard. She said I didn’t show the characteristics of what it takes and I needed to be even more proactive within my current role. In the meantime, I gained all the responsibilities of the upper level position. For a while, I was okay with the increase in duties, however, after a few months of ‘no improvements and lack of character’, according to my boss, I was beyond frustrated and disappointed. My responsibilities tripled and I essentially went from the responsibilities of 1 position to 3 different positions. She did a great job making me feel incompetent and it got to a point that I didn’t want to be a meeting planner anymore. I was ready to quit. How could all of my hard work not show that I was worth a promotion? How can one person completely destroy the career path I saw for myself?

During that time, I really questioned my future. I never thought at 27 years old I would consider a career change. I was beaten down. My health took a turn, stress levels were sky high, and my body felt like it had been hit by a truck day after day. How long was I going to let this person control my life?

After about a year and a half of dealing with my boss, I was done. I received a job offer for my current role, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt this relaxed going to and coming home from work. Even though we didn’t get along, I still gave a full two weeks’ notice, but let’s not forget about the fact that my boss ignored me for a good week after giving my notice.

It might be my naivety to the corporate world, but I never expected to be treated the way I was. Growing up, I was always taught the golden rule: treat people how you want to be treated. There are times I still can’t wrap my head around the events that happened, but it taught me to have thicker skin. The hospitality industry is a tough world and it’s not cut out for everyone, but I will say, my former boss taught me to be prepared for any kind of person I encounter.