Life is full of good and bad moments that people have to just deal with on the fly, but some situations aren’t so easy to get out of and can weigh heavily on folks. That’s when people have to make the tough decision: keep dealing with something terrible or walk away.
This list includes stories of people who decided they were finally done and mic-dropped out of a bad situation. Even though it probably wasn’t an easy choice, read on to find out what happened after they took such a brave step.
#1
Worked in a law firm as a paralegal. The senior partner had a habit of taking out his temper tantrums on the other lawyers. He was monstrous, toxic, insulting and had a way with words that made you fell like you’d been lashed with a whip.
One day he comes out of his office and everyone puts their head down because they know what’s coming. He set his eyes on me walks into the middle of the office in clear sight of everyone and screams ” Hey! You! What are you doing! Where are those files I needed an hour ago? Why are they not already on my desk?!” I replied “Well, you asked me an hour ago so I’m still putting all 12 of them together. I’ll have them to you before as a priority.” He doesn’t like my response and starts jibing at me “No, that’s not good enough, you’re useless, pathetic, I have no idea why we pay you, you’re a liability, may as well pull in some homeless person to replace you with that attitude! You’ll never make it at this firm!”
Well. I was already having a bad day but I decided, for the first time in my career, that I knew my job, I knew how to do it and I was done allowing psychopaths treat me like a punch bag. I stood up, walked over to him and stood a few feet from him and said in my sternest but calmest voice “How dare you! How dare you speak to me like that! I am a human being, not a dog or your punch bag. My father, who raised me, put clothes on my back and food in my mouth doesn’t talk to me that way, so what in hell makes you think you’ve earned that right! ”
His face went from a purple red to a ghostly white. He turned around and walked back to his office. I stood in the middle of the office looked around and saw all the smiles and glee from the other lawyers. For the next 10 minutes I felt like the champion of the world as I would catch a nod of approval here and a hidden thumbs up there. Even when security were asking me to collect my belongings and be walked out the building they did it in the most helpful and empathetic way that made me feel like I did the right thing.
I’ve never let anyone talk to me like that again.
Image source: LocoMoro, pressmaster
#2
Mine was when I caught myself mentally drafting a reply to a work email while brushing my teeth. That’s when I realized work was living rent free in my head and I needed a hard reset.
Image source: arcsilencer, elizavetalarionova
#3
I used to work at a startup with an incredibly toxic boss/CEO. My friend (also coworker) and I would always work Saturdays. One Saturday we came in much earlier than we usually did to get ahead on a project so that we would be able to finish it and leave earlier than usual as my pregnant fiance wanted to do some shopping for us to plan our registry.
My friend and I got done with what we planned. Boss sees us packing up and gets mad that we’re leaving early. (Mind you it’s 4pm on a Saturday and my friend and I got in at 6am). I told him I’m leaving to go with my fiancé shopping for our child. He then proceeds to tell me “She’s an adult. She can shop herself. You seem to care more about this unborn kid than the job that I’m paying you to do.”
Yeah….so I applied to a bunch of jobs Sunday morning and started a new job 3 weeks later that paid 2X than what that started did.
Image source: xstell132, dragonimages
As humans, it makes sense that obstacles and difficulties will make us feel stressed and worried, but the Mental Health Foundation found that nearly 74% of people report sometimes feeling so overwhelmed they’ve been unable to cope. This experience seems more common among older folks, with 30% saying they’ve felt this way often.
People also cope with such troubles differently, and 46% mention that they eat or drink a lot because of stress, and 29% drink to deal with the worry. The research also found that individuals who struggle to cope with their troubles experience depression and anxiety, which can be worrisome.
#4
I was working 60-hour weeks at an accounting firm and my manager told me I needed to show more passion. For spreadsheets. I handed in my two weeks the next morning and took a pay cut to work at a smaller company. Best decision I ever made. My kid actually recognizes my face now.
Image source: Remarkable-Air1628, magnific
#5
I’ve been talking to this girl who was my classmate in school as well as in college and she’s been very on and off. When I’m showing interest she pulls away, she initiates texts but when I reply she takes hours or even days to continue the conversation. We live in different countries. So She’ll always talk about how we should meet if we ever had a chance again.
One day she visited my city. She knows that I live here. She informed me, I was seeing her stories and snaps, she was here for almost a week. I texted her, “we should meet” since we haven’t met in person yet after graduating. She replied to me the next day saying that she was caught up with sight seeing and her flight is in a couple of hours.
She went back, and the texting continued. One day she’ll act interested and immediately the next day her replies become dry and she takes hours to reply consistently. It was exhausting, at some point it became clearly visible that she was just using me for attention.
Last week I sent her tik Tok which kinda pointed out her attitude and behavior. She immediately texted, “why do you say that?” and I thought to myself that if I reply to that question she might leave me on read or reply after days. So at that moment, I thought to myself that I’m done with this all and left her on read. My mind is at peace now.
Image source: AdAppropriate4924, andreas
#6
I worked at a lab, doing research for a company.
During a post-doc research I discovered a potential side process that would interrupt the main focus of the research and brought it up to my prof, who told me to bring it up during the next meeting to see if the company wanted me to look into it.
So I did, the company listened and then said they’d rather I’d not spend the time. At which point me prof fully goes off on me, telling everyone he’d told me not to waste that time, and how I should have known never to bring it up and that I should not spend another second on ‘that nonsense’
I was a shocked but had not worked there long and just said ok, and went on.
8 months later, next meeting, and the company tells me in the meeting they had looked at what I’d said and that maybe I should look into it after all.
Queue my prof going off again on ‘how he’d always said I should do that’ and why I’d ‘not shown the initiative to do those simple experiments on the side’ etc etc.
I started applying for new positions that evening and was out of there within 2 months.
Image source: Gericht, The Yuri Arcurs Collection
What’s odd is that even when people realize they’re in a bad situation, they may find it hard to leave. According to Psychology Today, one reason this might happen is that folks always hope things can get better. This positivity might carry them through even the most difficult moments, but it could also keep them from making a change.
That’s why people need to reflect on whether something problematic in their life is serving them or whether it’s causing more issues. If there doesn’t seem to be a purpose for it, then it might be time to make a change, or else one’s mental health and well-being could suffer in the long run.
#7
When a “friend” starts treating me badly, or puts me in a position where I’m undermined or embarrassed, I just disengage.
It’s happened numerous times over the years and my tolerance for it is getting much, much shorter with every passing instance.
Image source: MagicSPA, magnific
#8
I was a supervisor at Best Buy and was reprimanded because I didn’t try hard enough to get someone to get a credit card. That person had a double mastectomy and explained that she is relying on grants to pay for her cancer treatment. If she opens a credit card at Best Buy they would immediately cut everything so I dropped the whole sales pitch and just got her the mouse she came in for. My boss said I should have easily been able to get a gaming laptop out of her since she’s in the hospital so much with nothing better to do (his words). It was the only time I really let my emotions come out at work when I called him a soulless monster in front of his and my subordinates and if that’s the expectation then I’m out. This was a month before Black Friday so he backed off but I immediately started looking for a new job.
Image source: FunWrangler666, DC Studio
#9
I discovered my trainee was earning more than me. I’d been there almost 3 years and she started working less than a week ago. I was already fed up with other aspects of my job (lack of full time status and benefits, always closing shift) that I took it directly to my manager.
Their response was to threaten me with discipline for discussing salary with a coworker. I said correct my next paycheck to show that I was earning more than my trainee or consider this my notice. The raise never came through and I quit once my paycheck was posted.
Former coworkers called later that week and said that my trainee had just been fired for theft.
Image source: Grebnaws, magnific
One thing that often stops people from changing bad circumstances is something called the investment fallacy. It refers to all the time, energy, and effort a person has put into relationships, work, or anything they value. The idea of “wasting” that investment is often unbearable, and it can make people want to stick around even when it doesn’t make sense.
The problem is that holding onto something that causes a lot of pain can do more harm than good. That’s why experts say folks should make peace with their decisions, even if they’ve put a lot of effort into something; if it doesn’t seem to be working out, it’s best to let it go.
#10
Was laying in bed with my (now ex) wife and she started crying. I asked what was wrong. She told me she kissed her coworker. I was so angry I went numb. She had been accusing me of cheating on her with near every girl remotely in orbit.
Adding insult to injury I was recovering from my second spine surgery and had been EXTREMELY limited in what I was physically able to do. Intimacy had been off the table for a month and would be for another 4 weeks.
She then asked if I still loved her and before I could answer she told me that she was going to take a bath.
My parents loved about a mile and a half away at the time. They were out of town so I packed up clothes to last me a week and was driving them up to my parent’s place to drop them off and then come back and tell my wife I was going to stay there for a little while.
As soon as I pulled in my sister pulled in behind me. She was just coming by to check on everything while my folks were out of town. She saw me carrying a sack of clothes and asks me what’s up. I told her and the conversation went on for a while. Much longer than I planned on being gone.
When I got back on my car to head home my then wife called and asked me where I was. Before I could finish the sentence she just started screaming at me about how that’s not fair for me to just walk out on her and not say anything and that I cheated on her first (I didn’t cheat on her. Full stop) and that what she did wasn’t even *that* bad.
My brain-while in the holding pattern for her to shut her mouth for a moment so I could speak-simply said “I do not have to go back to this. Ever again.” So I just hung up on her, got out of the car, found some scotch in the liquor cabinet, and poured myself a drink and watched an Aliens. It was one of the most freeing and cathartic things I had ever done.
The next day while she was at work I went back to our house and grabbed my medications, computer, and a few other necessities. 11 years later I have no regrets.
Image source: ForestOfMirrors, Elina Fairytale
#11
My wife was in a burn-out and depression. I supported her throughout for about two years. I worked full-time, paid nearly all the bills from my paycheck, took care of the kids, did the household while she was on the couch, watching tv and doomscrolling all day. Near the end I started to realize she was burning through money, racking up debt, was gone for a couple of days straight and presumably meeting with another guy. I came home from work one night, the kids were still with my mom and the house was trashed. Dirty dishes, dirty clothes everywhere and my wife was’t home. That was the straw that broke the camels back. I threw a bunch of her shoes, purses and clothes through the living room in pure rage because they were everywhere. I left for a couple of hours to cool down and when I got back she had called half my family and friends because she was worried.
That night she left en never came back, tbh I was done with it. I couldn’t go on like that anymore. She denied seeing someone else but started dating less than a month later and married him 6 months later.
Image source: EmbarrassedBlock1977, kaboompics
#12
Lost almost every relationship I cared about, body was breaking down and I could see the end coming. I’ll be 3 years sober in April.
Image source: Fuzzy-Round1240, Alena Darmel
Have you ever had a friend or loved one who stuck around in a bad relationship even though they should have jumped ship a long time ago? It might seem baffling that anybody would want to stick through such pain, but sometimes, low self-worth and a lack of self-esteem might make a person stay with a terrible partner.
People who don’t think they deserve better often tend to accept small crumbs of affection and don’t see anything wrong with being treated badly. That’s why, only if they begin to work on their self-confidence, might they realize they should be with someone who cares about them and values them.
#13
Collapsed at a meeting I dragged myself to despite already feeling sick in the morning because my superior wasn’t in the mood to go but “it is absolutely mandatory that one person from our department is there”. Happened in front of everyone. An ambulance had to be called…. My boss – who knew what had happened – didn’t even ask how I was. I started looking for other jobs the next day and quit a month later when I had something. Best decision of my life.
Image source: Meretneith, The Yuri Arcurs Collection
#14
Wasn’t a negative put a positive. I was young, single, and I wanted to explore the world. Live a full life.
I saw my life unfolding as an engineer in small town factories across the south in the USA, always wondering what it would be like to live somewhere else, speak another language, go to Rome, walk on the Acropolis, backpack in Portugal, explore Moscow, live in Prague, visit China, meet interesting people, minimize regrets.
So I went for it. 30 years later, I’m living on an island in the Mediterranean, own a nice home with a sea view, swim in the sea each morning (even in December) with my lovely wife, loving life. I’ve experienced so many things over those years, I’m extremely lucky.
Image source: Prahasaurus, Andrea Piacquadio
#15
Sinking into seasonal depression for yet another canadian winter. It didn’t matter how many vitamin D supplements I took, how many “happy” lights I put in my apartment or how many mid-day walks I went on. Every year like clockwork, my brain just went out of service until springtime.
Last year I decided it would be the last. Now it’s December and I’m still functional, for the first time in my life.
Image source: South_Of_Pluto, Ahmet Kurt
Like the people in this list, you might reach a point where you feel “done with” or tired of a bad situation. If you’ve really thought about it, don’t let fear or worry talk you out of walking away. According to researchers at Forbes, we sometimes get caught up in what our ideal life should be and feel distressed when reality doesn’t match our expectations.
That’s why even if a decision feels overwhelming, shame, embarrassment, or worry shouldn’t stop us from making it. Instead, forge ahead and make the change, as it could transform your life in the long run.
#16
Didn’t wanna become a political prisoner of an authoritarian government, and got an appointment letter because they just wanted “to chat”. lol. Packed all my stuff in two suitcases in a few hours, went to the airport and booked a flight to a country where i still got an unexpired visa. Never came back (it’s been over a decade).
Image source: Longjumping-Basil-74, Peter Chirkov
#17
Worked at a job for 7 years and I found myself being irritated by an old lady for being rude and we got into a screaming match, told her to call her grandson or her son up here. That’s when I realised I had to get out because every little thing bothered me.
Image source: MrWiltErving, jet-po
#18
I was 34, putting a fitted sheet on my bed, and had what I assume was a minor heart attack. I’m American so I of course didn’t go to the hospital.
But I was short of breath, my heart was racing, my chest hurt like hell, and I was just laid up on the bed trying desperately to catch my breath for quite some time.
Quit smoking cigarettes right then and there. I did the math and had been smoking for more than 50% of my life and had been a pack+ a day smoker for at least 12 years straight.
My lungs are still bad, and will probably never get back to even 80% funcationality, but I’ve never had another one of those episodes… and I change my bed sheets all the time!
Image source: Sleazy-Wonder, stockking
When difficult circumstances keep coming in a person’s life, they might begin to define themselves by their problems. This can affect self-esteem, which is why professionals say it’s important to focus on how you handle obstacles rather than the trouble itself.
By focusing on the actions you can take, you can shape your identity and become more confident and self-assured. It can also make you feel in control of your life, rather than letting problems always have the upper hand. Take inspiration from the folks in this list to face issues head-on, rather than just sweeping them under the rug.
#19
4 days into a managerial job at one of the biggest banks in the US/world (but based in the UK) being screamed at by some pillock from one of their US offices demanding to know why there were so many people off the week running up to Christmas.
I hadn’t even applied for the job when it was agreed – I was told to ‘fix it’ and start cancelling leave. I did not.
Add that to the absolutely horrendous work environment, rampant harassment of women straight out of university and i’d seen enough.
Started Monday, updated my CV Friday, I was out of there in 5 months and only because my background checks took 3 months to complete at my next (and current) employer.
Image source: jambideooiad, pressmaster
#20
Happened last week. the moment i realized i was apologizing to a printer for not working while it blinked paper jam for the third time even though there was no paper in it. that’s when i knew the job had broken me.
Image source: silverpotato5955, magnific
#21
When I quit my last job. I had given them a month’s notice that I was retiring, and two weeks later, I found out they were changing things behind my back (I dealt directly with clients and they were changing set-ups I had arranged without telling me.) When I found out they changed one that had certain circumstances for particular reasons and I had discussed with my supervisor, I called the director out on it. All he said was I was not being professional. When I told them it was not professional to change things without telling me, he just repeated I was not being professional.
I sat there, fuming, then realized I didn’t have to put up with it anymore and moved up my retirement, effective immediately.
Image source: ivylass, gpointstudio
After making a big decision like walking away from a bad situation, it can hurt a lot. These overwhelming feelings can be tough to handle, but it’s best to accept whatever emotions come up and understand that it might take time for things to feel normal again.
So often, we get accustomed to terrible circumstances and think that’s the only way to be, so when it’s finally over, life can feel confusing. This is when a person should spend time self-reflecting and figuring out who they are beyond the problems and struggles that were part of their life.
#22
I was working a nightmare schedule of ten days in a row
I was asked if I would work a double. I said yes because I needed the hours. I was then scheduled, in the middle of the ten days, for 16 hours after only getting off eight hours prior to starting that double to then clock out and come back in after another eight hours before going back into a typical eight hours on, 16 off
That was ‘fine.’
It was a front desk job for a budget hotel where for my entire tenure, meals were fine at the desk; there was only ever one person scheduled and you were expected to be attentive of the desk at all times with no breaks. After they had realized what they did with my schedule, the owners offered to get me lunch… and then three breaths later immediately took issue with pizza I already had on my person at the desk; around noon, three hours before we even typically allowed early check ins. Tried directing me, on hour six of sixteen, to only eat in the office. While ‘fair,’ the integrity that was on display during that exchange caused a very quick and short evaluation. Especially a few hours later they also tried to demand maintenance to do several simple tasks I was more than capable of doing to keep their day simple (take out front desk trash and run a ozone machine in a room). They were within their right, and I’m keeping it brief as there were other things they said, but more or less displayed just how much they didn’t respect most other people. They could’ve been far more sensitive, and especially to the person they were working like a dog
I immediately went job hunting that very day, eager to work for most of anyone else. Didn’t take me long to line up something else. The hilarious thing was they tried bribing me to stay another week to train people. I had to tell them no.
Image source: STULF20X6lol, stockking
#23
For background
I have 2 half sister from my dads first marriage and we all assumed we hated each other for the past 30 years and that’s just how it was.
Snap to: dad needs a quadruple bypass, he’s getting older so it’s scary. We all come to town to be there for the surgery. I’m actually there for 9 days. Spending money I mostly don’t have on a hotel, and going severely negative in PTO.
Waiting for recovery sisters and I actually get along and start talking. Cool. We like each other. Also, turns out dad has been telling us different stories about his health/financial situation for the past few years and kind of playing us against each other for longer than that. He’s a jerk, but whatever, we will deal.
For the next TWO MONTHS I spend stupid amounts of time and money to go out to my dad’s house every weekend to grocery shop/ meal prep/ clean/ set up appointments/ wash the dog, anything my dad and mom need.
He starts driving: 3 weeks before he’s cleared to. I’m finding fast food wrappers in their trash. And he’s slowly but surely undoing all of the cleaning and organizing I’ve been doing.
Bonus. One weekend we go out there: “mom isn’t feeling well”
She has covid. They neglected to tell me she was sick before I went out there so I couldn’t take any precautions.
I get covid. Lose out on 3 more days of PTO I straight up don’t have.
Through ALL OF THIS I just deal.
What breaks me is. We noticed a check engine light on in their car. We tell them about it. Dad does nothing for another month then takes it to the dealership to get serviced. It’s the glow plug unit. He IMMEDIATELY sends ME the bill for $2500 and says it’s my fault for going over a speed bump too fast. It’s a 20 year old car. I never took a speed bump too fast the four times I drove it. In fact I drove my parents around in my car 90% of the time I took them places.
So. Several months, literally thousands of dollars, time, effort, that my partner put in to help my dad’s selfish incapable ungrateful jerk. And he sends me the bill for a problem I 1000% did not cause.
I blocked him and my mother immediately and haven’t regretted it for a second since.
Image source: Clockwork_Pet, dimaberlin
#24
To make a long story short a power tripping manager yelled me for something I didn’t even do. I was so mad I didn’t even get mad and just said “ok”.
After he left I immediately texted an old coworker and asked if they were hiring at her job. The next week I had an interview, got hired, and put in my two weeks at the old job.
In a way I’m glad he got mad at me. It gave me the courage to leave that stupid job since I was unhappy for awhile there. Now 1.5 years later I make $8 more an hour with a much better schedule and better coworkers.
Image source: Glowingtomato, kuprevich
Therapists from Psychology Today also explain that one of the main things that can help a person face a bad situation head-on is their community. Friends and family can make even the worst circumstances feel bearable, and they can help you pick up the pieces if things don’t turn out well.
Also, having people by your side can give you the courage to walk away from something bad, which you might have never been able to do otherwise. So, always keep loved ones close, and be their safe space too when they need it.
#25
I was three months into a contract to hire position. Decent salary for my work from home location. But they were going to have me move to an expensive area (or deal with 1.5 hour commutes) once they brought me in as a hired employee. I was supposed to be their new marketing manager but they refused to do anything but send out these really terrible newsletters that preformed terribly. Meanwhile their website was full of 404s, old content, ect. When I first started there one of many VPs bragged that they laid off their IT staff to outsource it and saved hundreds of thousands of dollars. And there i was trying to fix a rotten marketing department where every meeting seemed to devolve into arguing and trying to blame things on other departments.
Called my supervisor and told them I wouldn’t be accepting the position, finished out my last week of contract work then took a month off to go on a road trip by myself. I told people that they outsourced the marketing department instead of the fact that I quit. I did struggle a bit after that with finding the next job. But shedding that job that I knew I wasn’t going to stay long term at and just taking a full month to live spontaneously…..worth it in the end.
Image source: micmea1, Stockbusters
#26
My boss tried to deny time off at Xmas that had been approved a month earlier. She said we’d meet the day before my time off and I needed to catch up on “all my tasks” and update her, in order for her to approve the time off.
I replied with my notice and CCd HR.
Image source: Smaaashley1036, The Yuri Arcurs Collection
#27
Not work related, but a “friend”.
He had zero concept of boundaries. He would constantly “jpke” to expose people’s intimate matters to the rest of the friend group, he would act offended when people kept their business private, he would insist to pry on everything…
Prior to the “done with this” moment, I had already clashed with him because he would look me up on dating apps and share screenshots of my profile as if we has exposing something I was trying to hide.
I told him multiple times that I didn’t want him commenting on my life. I knew I would end cutting him off, I just didn’t know what would be the moment.
Then I went to a party in a certain place that he liked. A photo of me in that party got to the social media of the place of the party.
He sent a message to the friend group, pretty much saying “A friend of ours went to this party, but I won’t comment on who he is because he asked me not to.”
So pretty much, stomping on boundaries and bragging about it, while pretending not to do it. I remember reading the message and thinking “Yep. This is when I cut you off.”
And I did.
He has tried to talk to me a couple times, but honestly, life is just so refreshing and relaxed with him out if it…
Image source: NirgalFromMars, cookie_studio
Have you ever heard of the frog that slowly got cooked because it didn’t realize how gradually the water it was in began to heat up? Sometimes, humans can be just like that amphibian and stay in terrible situations for a long time because it seems like there’s no other option.
Luckily for these folks, they finally reached their breaking point and decided to dip, which completely changed their lives. Let us know what you think about their experiences, and whether you’ve ever been in a similar position.
#28
Manager at Borders accused me of stealing, brought up footage of me reading the back of a DVD in the stock room as proof (???) and it was already after months of him being a jerk because I was the new tallest guy at work (no joke, I heard the assistant manager tell me the dudes pride was hurt).
I told him, “I think it’s best we terminate this role for me”
He said “oh I can’t do that , but if that’s what you want…write it down on paper that you’re leaving”
I took that paper and wrote “I QUIT BECAUSE TIM IS A RAGING JERK WITH SMALL MAN SYNDROME AT 6’5””
He said “really?”
And I left and went to get some buffet with my fam.
We know Borders closed. Few months later I was buying something at toys r us and he was my cashier 😂 then toys r us went under 🤣.
Image source: rapgamebonjovi, Dave Dugdale
#29
I helped develop the policies and procedures for the job. I took on 2nd shift when I was hired for first. I trained all the new employees and that included my supervisor.
So when the training position opened, I applied. I had a whole training schedule already in mind. Explained how I would rotate shifts. Week one would be days, week 2 would be second and 3rd week would be 3rd shift. I would rotate as needed for training. No point in changing up schedules. I pointed out all that I had accomplished. I also pointed out how I took the shift no one wanted. Thought it was a slam dunk.
I had not heard anything for a few days. Asked my supervisor if a decision has been made. It had been made, just no one told me. They hired someone I was training. What? He had prior experience in training. He doesn’t know the job or policies. That is why you are training him.
I told my supervisor I am quitting. I am putting in my notice. Once I get something, I am out. I told her I gave my notice and went back to work. HR called my desk. I refused to answer. They emailed me. Again, I ignored it. Then they showed up at my desk.
They tried to talk me out of quitting. I refused to budge. I told them there is no set date, but the countdown is on. I just served open notice. I was not going to stick around for my 2 weeks if I get something else.
And then malicious compliance began on my part. I used to skip breaks, work voluntary OT, assist other get their work done. I just began to focus on my work. I took my breaks and worked my 8. I would just get up and go to lunch. Not say a word, just go out for my hour lunch.
After I had left I bumped into a prior coworker. Sounds like I left at the right time. Their trainer quit a week after I left. And about 6 months later they lost a major contract. Which laid off almost all of the department I was in.
Image source: IronCodger, tsyhun
#30
I was in charge of the commercial section of a retail auto parts store years ago dealing with shops mainly. We had one guy who was always a jerk. He talked down to everyone for any reason. Being the manager I always had the pleasure of dealing with him.
One day he called about a hybrid battery. Yelled and screamed about how we were ripping him off. He was calling me names like stupid, idiot, worthless, on and on paired with threats to “take his business elsewhere”. I let him wear himself out like a toddler before plainly telling him I had discounted the battery as much as literally possible. I had no way to discount more, our system simply wouldn’t do it. I was at cost. He hung in on a rage.
My district manager called back and told me to input a specific code he gave me and made me sell it under our cost. Then was told we NEED to keep him as a customer and to just deal with it.
I clocked out, went to lunch at the tap room across the street. Two co-workers joined me. None of us went back that day. After about two hours the store manager sent me a text asking if I was coming back and I just said, I don’t think so.
His response: Understood. If you need a reference just let me know and I’ve got you covered.
Image source: Zetsubou51, tsyhun
#31
When my manager scheduled a meeting to discuss why our last meeting could have been an email. i sat there for 45 minutes listening to her talk about meeting efficiency while we were literally IN an unnecessary meeting. updated my resume that night.
Image source: No-Biscotti-1596
#32
I moved to Hawaii for awhile and lived in my car, my car broke down and the part couldn’t come in for 2 weeks. I got fired for missing work and once I had just enough money left in my bank account for a plane ticket back home I bought it
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#33
The moment I lost hope and settled for apathy. I hold this as a sentiment to many things, relationships, expectations, control etc. The moment something loses that feeling of hope, is the moment it becomes acceptance of something much less. It’s a shift of expectation or standard and a protection tactic to lower that feeling into something you have less faith or belief in.
The moment you have to shift your own light for something that becomes easier when it is a little more dim, is the moment of giving up.
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#34
She had a child. The child was 11 and illiterate.
Our relationship was getting serious so I offered to pay for half of an intensive after school reading program that she wanted but couldn’t afford. I did it as a gift with no expectation of repayment.
It came time to pay my half. I needed a verification code from her to log in and pay it on the program’s site. She couldn’t be bothered to send me the code then got angry with me for “bothering her” by asking.
I realized her true colors would only come out more and bailed pretty soon after that.
Image source: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nqqdlk/comment/ng8suwr/
#35
I was working at KFC and the manager I closed with said I needed to redo the entire lobby after I literally just finished because she “saw some dry spots on the floor” after I mopped it spotless. (Apparently water never dries) When I iterated that I just finished and its time for me to leave she said I wasn’t leaving until everything was redone, including the bathrooms and every single table, chair and soda machine. I basically told her to get lost, clocked out and went home. I wasn’t even supposed to work that day and I ended up working a 13 hour shift with only one 20 minute break because nobody ever told us we were allowed to take a longer break so long as we clocked out (they didn’t want people taking longer breaks so they just skipped over the part in our training and worked us like dogs). That job was awful from start to finish.
Image source: valley_G
#36
I was selling cable TV subscriptions door to door (purely commission based. No hourly) in the middle of the hottest summer I’d ever seen where I live and wasn’t making any sells (only ever made one). I finally just gave up and went to the office where my boss was hanging out and said “Well, I’m done” and handed my badge. He tried his best to get me to stay. Went home and had one of the top 5 best naps I’ve ever had. I was also the only person with a high school diploma and I had only gotten that a few months earlier.
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#37
When my brother took my phone because I wouldn’t let him use it so I factory reset his
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#38
I tried a new job and on my second day, which I was asked to come along to see how things work on a Saturday, I just saw a whole lot of wrong with the event setup company. The first big red flag was the graphic designer I was working with was doing all sorts of things that are way outside his position. He was working long hours, loading the truck, driving the truck, managing the setup, doing IT stuff for the company, and who knows what else. On the drive to the event setup, one of the guys in the truck mentions the state inspection is about to expire and the graphic designer goes “Oh yeah, I need to do that.” And I was thinking WTF? Why is HE responsible for all these things???? That made me feel “I’m done” in my head. It’s a foreshadow that the boss will probably make me do all these things too. The rest of the day only got worse but I was already gonna quit at the end of the day.
The graphic designer was a total yes man for the boss doing whatever he says. The event setup was supposed to take 6 hours depending on who you ask, but ended up taking 14 hours which really pissed me off. And I think it was totally “normal.” The boss was a micromanager that even got mad at me for drinking my bottle water for 5 seconds. If you’re standing around for more than 30 seconds he’d yell at you to do something. I also had the feeling the boss would frequently make me work weekends despite the job description saying usual office hours M-F. I quit after I got home.
Later I looked up the same place I found the job opening and saw there were reviews which I didn’t notice before. A LOT of the negative reviews reflected all the suspicions I had of how bad the company was: Terrible boss, long hours, micro managing, doing a whole bunch of things outside of job description, negative work environment, very very high turnover rate, and they wouldn’t always pay the right amount. I was glad I quit early.
Image source: blitzer1069
#39
During the pandemic they wouldn’t let me work from home, so I concluded that the most important thing is that I sit in a certain room for a certain number of hours per day. This is changed my perspective on what my work output needs to be, now that I know the most important thing is what room I’m sitting in.
Image source: YdexKtesi
#40
I worked in kitchens starting at the age of 14. I went to culinary school when I was 18, and worked in fine dining establishments until I was 24. After 10 years of experience, and $90,000 on an education, it all came to a head for me when I had to work Christmas Day 2020. I had worked every Thanksgiving and Christmas for years. I got there and the Christmas buffet was wiped clean. I had to make all new shit and stay late, and I was making $16 an hour, only $4 more than I was making 7 years ago. I finally realized that I had been doing top tier, professional skilled work for wages that wouldn’t even make it possible to support myself on my own. I quit and became a Hooter’s girl and made more money than I ever had in my life, working 10 less hours per week and putting in considerably less effort. Now I sell real estate and I have nearly doubled my income in 2 years.
Image source: jesseclara
#41
After 5yr of IT help desk I had a call that made me quit the next day. It was from from one of our customer service agents.
I told her the truth, her internet was really slow & intermittent (work from home) and causing the issues she was experiencing. This was after about 10 previous tickets being opened and multiple hardware replacements.
She got really mad at me, and starting grilling me about not having empathy. Basically rattling off all this customer service training, and saying I was doing a bad job. I wasn’t doing X, Y and Z to soothe her irrational anger towards it. She berated me for a good 30min, I wanted to rip my ears off and blow my brains out.
I realized just how sick and twisted corporate culture is, and how much it does bad things with people’s mental health. That’s was it for me, quit without a job lined up and it was the best decision ever.
Image source: IMIPIRIOI
#42
During pandemic I was working 80/100 hours weekly, as we let so many staff go and I was doing the basic positions on top of my job. Took 3 days PTO which I gave a few months notice of. Came back and got screamed at in front of entire team as I had phone off for a few days. I had gone camping and let everyone know that I’d be disconnected for a few days. Boss said “In the 15 years of managing sales people, I’ve never had anyone vanish like that.” That was my final straw and I was OUT!
Image source: SunnieDays1980
#43
South Africa
We have not had enough electricity since 2007 and this ramped up to days where there were up to 12 hours with no power.
In June 2020 our previous president was convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to prison. Instead of justice being served, huge riots and looting broke out. Billions of Rands damage. He walked free on some bogus health exemption.
That’s when we said enough. In the Netherlands 2 years tomorrow!
Image source: SignificantCoffee474
#44
My freshman year of college, I had a huge crush on an older guy who was in one of my classes. I was doing everything that I could to impress him. I got an improved wardrobe, I started straightening my hair, ect. He asked me out on a date one day and I was really excited. The day of, I had a presentation and as I was walking to class I slipped on a patch of uprooted, fake grass and landed in mud. My pants were completely covered in mud as well as some parts of my upper body from trying to stop the fall. I had class in less than 30 seconds and therefore, no time to change.
My crush was in this class and I was mortified. After my presentation, I sneezed which made me fart. The class was really small (only 8 people because it was an advanced chem class) and so everyone heard. Before this, I had been pursing this guy like crazy but I stopped after this. I couldn’t look at him without thinking of that day and wondering what he thought of me.
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#45
Saw students cheating on a final exam in a post-graduate class and the professor litterally looking the other way. I’d been struggling the whole semester because I was working twelve hour night shifts and only barely finding time to study. I walked out without finishing the test and have made no further progress toward obtaining a master’s degree.
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#46
Manager would put me on the schedule and not tell me about it. We’d get it a week before, I would take a picture of it, then put my days to work on my calendar in my phone. Then I would write it on the calendar that was in my bedroom.
Maybe two days later, I would get a call from her asking why I wasn’t at work. I’d say I’m not scheduled, and she’d say “Well it was adjusted. It’s your responsibility to keep up to date.” That went on for like four weeks and I kept getting written up for being late or not coming in.
One day I came in after she *literally* yelled at me over the phone and she said hi like nothing happened. I ignored her and the Asst. Manager said “You’re just going to act like that because you messed up?” I ignored her too and went to clock in.
Maybe ten minutes later they pull me into the back office and ganged up on me saying I was rude and disrespectful and dishonest and irresponsible and I do this wrong and I do that wrong. I kept bringing up they change the schedule, only MY days, and don’t tell me. We’re going back and forth and I couldn’t do it anymore and left in the middle of the argument.
Maybe five days later the manager called asking if I was going to come in. I said “I don’t work there anymore.” Then the Asst. Manager got on the line and said they were under staffed and really need me. I hung up and blocked the number and that was our final conversation.
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#47
Vaping. I never vaped as a teenager or young adult and started that the ripe age of 27 when i was stationed in south korea. It was a habit that i thought was impossible to kick for 2 years. My 2 mile went from a respectable 13:00 – 13:30 to a laughable 16:00-16:30 and I was constantly jones-ing for nicotine ever 30 minutes.
It wasn’t until I saw my resting heart rate was 90BPM and would raise to 120BPM when walking around my home. .
Image source: Wizkey_Jay
#48
One summer night, I heard footsteps on the concrete steps outside our front door at about 11 p.m. Someone was also rattling the door. That was when I grabbed a knife from my desk and got ready to defend myself. While I was waiting for the door to break, I heard footsteps again, this time coming down the stairs. I stayed awake for about two hours after. The next morning, my neighbour found screwdriver marks on his front door. A few streets away, someone broke into a house three weeks later.
Image source: lavenderhazee5
#49
Worked in property management for a bit and had a boss that would dump stuff on me and she would run around doing errands and stuff most of the day, in a given week she would put in like 15 hours unless the district manager was coming that week. We were both assigned to a new build out community and she got even lazier. She had to make a flier for a job fair and spent 6 hours on it asked me to proof read it and format it. She literally typed out statements from the company website word for word. I could have cut/paste and formatted that in 5 minutes. At the same time we have an answering machine and due to demand, it was hitting its 100 voice mail limit every day. Every call had to be logged into the system while calling them back, emailing back, etc. Two weeks in I had 1700 initial contacts logged, my boss had 6. Corporate calls asking why we can’t keep up, mandates 6 day work weeks to catch up. Come in on my Saturday, manager never shows. About 5 hours in corporate calls up, asks how its going and I say falling behind, cannot keep up with it as I am doing 99.9% of the work and I am the only one who showed up. Manager comes in 45 minutes later pissed to all hell that she was busted, told me the work load is what it is and to accept it or leave……..pulled the office keys out of my pocket and walked out the door.
Image source: jimfish98
#50
I had a customer facing job and we had riff raff come in from the streets. Sometimes I had to refuse service and ask them to leave – then they made a scene and made life threats. Business had been down. I had hit my ceiling in position and pay because plans to expand the company were put on hold and I left after 3 years. No pay raise in the pipeline and my rent went up in a big way, so I could no longer afford to stay at the job. The owner was a nice guy but kinda hands-off and no real goals to boost business and morale. I had to leave and try get myself a raise elsewhere. But that’s been a patch work struggle for the past 3 years.
As of today, I’m top candidate for a role that would pay me 62% higher than that last full time role – with role promotion, and traditional M to F 830 to 430/5pm schedule unlike the previous role where I worked 3 to 4 evenings.
Image source: Wisewordsforlater
#51
Was working a temp job when I was trying to make ends meet, one of those ‘show up and we’ll tell you what to do’ administrative kinda things. Most gigs were for a few days, but this one was for two weeks. Awesome.
Get there and it turns out they want me and another girl to do data entry for the time we’re there. But not just ‘enter this number in this cell’ stuff, but formulas, pivot tables, all the things my Excel nightmare are made of. I realistically know I can’t do this without some kind of training or guidance. Boss lady asks if we know what we’re doing, I say no, other girl says no problem. Boss lady asks if she’ll show me what to do, girl says yes, and boss lady leaves. As soon as she does, the girl turns to me, tells me she doesn’t have time to explain it to me, and gets started. I took about 30 minutes trying to figure out what to do, said nope, tried to find boss lady so I could tell her what was going on so I wasn’t a complete jerk, couldn’t, and ended up leaving.
Image source: ingibaby
#52
Coworker tragically (wild accident type) lost his life on the job during my noc shift Christmas Eve 2020. By 4am, suits had arrived. Mid-hug, bawling our eyes out, one of them came up to us and said “Just try to focus on work. We’ll get you all some resources in the coming hours.” I went home, had a talk with my husband, we looked at our finances, and I quit the day after Christmas.
More recently, I saw a picture of myself and decided I was done feeling and looking like a beached whale. I don’t actually look like it but I’m not comfortable in my own skin. Started working out and eating a lot better insect March 1st. I’ve done this time and time again, but that photo made me want to crawl into a hole and come unalive.
Image source: GIMMExREPS
#53
I started a job when I was younger at a steel manufacturer. They said “grind this stuff all day without a mask”. I left at lunch with steel shavings that are probably still in my nose.
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#54
Not so much I’m done with life but I’m done with a certain neighbor
The charming people to the north of me felt like since I have two driveways they can use one of them as a turnaround
Every last one of these lots is 16,000 ft plus long. You have plenty of place to park your vehicles. You have enough room for a car lot. Stay off my driveway
20 lb of concrete. Half a dozen pieces of wrought iron A dozen reflectors. Several feet of rope later and good luck getting through that side of the driveway now
What you want to borrow my chainsaw after being a general pain in the backside for the last couple of years
seriously
Image source: processedgrouch
#55
When the company fired my 7th boss in 2 years and moved me to another department again.
I am an asset but not enough to manage myself, even though I have been doing that for these past years since I can never establish rapport with my leadership.
Image source: deputytech
#56
I went above and beyond for years with my last company, before having two ‘I’m done’ moments in pretty quick succession.
First, when the CEO nuked a huge evidence-based report I’d been working on for months because part of it showed his favourite sales team were fraudulently inflating their numbers to get performance-related salary increases.
Then I tried to re-negotiate my salary after they expanded my role. The GM tells me to send them my new job description, and they’ll have it benchmarked by HR. I got led down the garden path for months – it’ll happen after this, it’s reliant on that – until I eventually submitted a data request… which, of course, proved that nothing had been forwarded to HR, there was no ‘benchmarking process’, and they were trying to downgrade my job title so I could no longer compare my salary to that of similar roles. I followed the grievance process, which revealed that the company had no intention of reviewing my salary until the following year – and I’d made the request in January. I tore the whole thing apart during the grievance process, but it was never going to matter. They even had the nerve to threaten me with a disciplinary when I said I wasn’t willing to keep doing the extra work without extra pay. That taught me that no matter how loyal you might be, you’re only ever a number to them.
Image source: napoleeann
#57
Nothing specific but rather a gradual feeling of isolation. As I got older I started to feel disconnected from everyone else around me (ME country). They didn’t get me and I didn’t get them. It was time to make a change. It worked, I’m happy and successful. Literally only worried about potential health issues now as everything else feels sorted out or being sorted out.
Image source: Visionioso
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