For Summer Camp Week 5, Back in the Saddle
Credits:
Journey | Bundle by Lynne-Marie
Journaling:
It was in the summer of 2012 that I finally reached my breaking point. The situation at work had been wearing me down for years, but when the new regional manager took over, it became unbearable. I found myself sitting at home in tears, realizing that if I didn’t take action, I would end up on sick leave with burnout.
After long talks with Robert, I came to the conclusion that there was only one way forward: I had to resign. It wasn’t an easy decision. I hated the thought of giving that monkey of a boss the satisfaction of seeing me walk away. But once the words were spoken, I felt an unexpected lightness, as if I’d finally set down a heavy burden.
I had no plan. I didn’t know if I’d find another job, or if I’d go back to school. I just trusted that things would somehow work out. Then, as if life wanted to test me further, I was diagnosed with a tumor on my thyroid. Surgery was the only option. While waiting for my operation date, I decided to apply to the Landscape Science program at Kristianstad University, something to fall back on in case no new job appeared.
The surgery came in October. To my relief, the tumor was benign, and only half of my thyroid had to be removed. Two weeks later, I felt a surge of energy I hadn’t known in years, perhaps my thyroid had been struggling for a long time and my hormones had finally found balance. Or maybe it was simply the freedom of knowing I would never again have to set foot in that toxic workplace.
That December, the acceptance letter arrived: I had a place in the Landscape Science program, with classes starting in late January and I decided to jump in. I couldn’t have known then that the next three years would be some of the most extraordinary of my life, filled with unforgettable experiences, lifelong friendships, and moments I still treasure today.
On top of that, I got the opportunity to travel to the USA as part of my studies, and I found myself standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, climbing the paths of Bryce Canyon, and many other amazing places—journeys I had never dared to imagine.
Sometimes, you have to fall before you can see the world from a different angle. And often, that new view is far more beautiful than the one you left behind.
