Real life happy
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@Aria Look at you go!
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@SockMonkey said in Real life happy:
@Aria Look at you go!
Honestly, it’s really exciting but it’s also really, really annoying for one specific reason:
I spent more than a decade floundering as an administrative/executive assistant, where I had almost all of the same skills that I have now, but was frequently dismissed and overlooked as “just” an admin. To the point that I literally had an executive in a room full of thirty people berate a high level sales rep for not understanding the rules engine dictating our substitution guidelines by her saying “It’s not that hard. Even Aria can explain this and she’s just an assistant.” (Note: It actually was hard, it was really fucking hard, which was why most of our reps went through a day and a half of training about it. The fact that I was explaining it to the head of sales for the entire West Coast should’ve been a mark in my favor, not against him.)
It took one person taking what was perceived as a “chance” on me in 2019, by giving me a lateral move, when I’d spent years managing budgets and projects and writing executive comms and and and and for this to happen. And then I got promoted in 2021. And 2022. And this month.
There are probably ridiculously talented people in your (and I mean general your, not you SockMonkey!) organization that are being overlooked because they don’t fit the mold–they made some mistakes when they were young, or had life commitments pulling them in other directions, or don’t play office politics well, or changed careers…
Take another look. Give them a chance. They have more to prove than the hot shit upper middle class kid with the MBA whose goal in life is to be and “industry disruptor” and who thinks driving a Tesla qualifies as a personality.
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@Aria As someone with a long history of admin/executive assistant roles, I share your rage. People hear admin or executive assistant and look down on the person when in reality there are so many hats you wear to successfully achieve such a role. It requires such a vast skill set and involves adapting to so many different approaches.
In order to assist all these different people you have to understand the jobs you’re assisting them with. Which is something people don’t understand themselves. Also “taking a chance” must have been such a discouraging way to be viewed when you were earned that opportunity ten times over so I’m sorry for that.
All that to say -I- think you’re brilliant and am proud of you! Treat yourself!
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@Aria Are you me???
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@Tez said in Real life happy:
@Aria Are you me???
Yes. You’ve been the sheet with two little eye holes cut into it this entire time.
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I too have a long history of administrative roles, and finally transitioned into a career a few years ago. This is partly because the career path I should have taken wasn’t as open then as it is now.
What I learned in administration is that you never, ever, underestimate your admins. They see everything. They know everything. And anyone who can organise other people - especially people with big egos and big tempers - to get things done is not someone you want to cross.
And yet the administrative staff are so often dismissed by people who only ever see the surface of things. It’s both stupid and weird.
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@Evilgrayson I learned very early on that it’s the admins who can get shit done. ALWAYS be nice to the admins. I don’t know why some folks can’t seem to figure this out.
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Today I was called “an affront to the system” and I have never been so flattered in my entire life.
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@Aria said in Real life happy:
Today I was called “an affront to the system” and I have never been so flattered in my entire life.
well now i’m JEALOUS
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Yeah, that’s pretty good, damn
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@Aria said in Real life happy:
Today I was called “an affront to the system” and I have never been so flattered in my entire life.
Did you ask “how many systems?” and flutter your eyelashes?
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@dvoraen said in Real life happy:
@Aria said in Real life happy:
Today I was called “an affront to the system” and I have never been so flattered in my entire life.
Did you ask “how many systems?” and flutter your eyelashes?
I did not. I blinked and said thank you.
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Focused on the fact I deserve love, to be happy. I’m trying to make sure I know my worth.
It’s hard but it is starting to click.
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Been trying to engage less online and focus more on myself, especially the last few months. Seems to be progressing well, since July 1st I’ve lost 50 pounds and focused on doing more physical activities despite the triple digit heat (though getting used to it more now… kind of).
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As of July 23, 2024, I have been free of cancer. That’s when they completed the 2nd leg of my hysterectomy and removed my final ovary along with the 16cm mass that it was tucked inside, along with part of my bowel.
I haven’t said too much about this online, except for a handful of people here and there, because it didn’t seem real. However, the CT scan I had 2 weeks ago confirms that nothing has grown back, and I couldn’t be happier. All I have to do is take a hormone blocker and hope and pray that doesn’t mess anything up due to side effects to keep the cancer at bay and get regular scans for the next several years.
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I am also cancer free as of the writing of this single statement.
and one expletive: thank fuck.
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I went to my neuro today and told her the medication she put me on got me down to 6 or 7 migraines a month (this is a tremendous improvement for me). But she looked at me and was like, I think we can do better. And gave me several other options for further decreasing the migraines.
I should have done this years ago.
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I had surgery about a month ago now that has really just jacked my whole life up as I recover. But this weekend I met up with a pair of MU friends and it was a really nice reminder that things are OKAY and fun and enjoyable.
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I outlived my hospice diagnosis.
