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There are times that no matter what you do in life, you are going to have to take a step back and ask yourself if what you are doing is really worth your health and sanity. I faced that moment in May of 2006 when I was working for a custom home builder in my area.

Months prior to May I had fought to get that job. I had gone into the interview determined to have that job and I had done it. I'd gotten the corner office, the pay increase and the wonderful health care! I was 24, with no college education but I had beaten out so many others for that marketing position and I honestly couldn't wait to start. It only took me two days after I started that I realized that not only was I on my own on figuring out how to do the job, but that I had left behind an amazing company and bosses only to be governed over by an ignorant, mean-spirited boss.

Each morning I woke up for work was met with dread and anxiety. I found I was avoiding people at work more and more often and even took to spending extra time in the bathroom so I couldn't be bothered. I was constantly berated for leaving paper in the printer, I was belittled for using slogans and catch phrases that my boss deemed were "below" the company even though they had been used on mailings prior to that, and I was watched on how I interacted with our vendors which unfortunately made me more nervous around them. All of this was held against me from the beginning to my last day. No matter how much I improved, there was also something that I did that was considered incorrect and there was never any direction given on how I should be doing these things or how I should be improving.

During May, as I was beginning to find every excuse in the book not to have to go to work, I realized there was no way I could continue working there. I didn't like myself, I didn't like what I was doing, I didn't like the people I worked for, and I couldn't even count on two hands the number of times I had left work crying at the end of the day just thankful it was over.

I was so traumatized after working there, that even after I quit I couldn't work another job right away and was terrified at every interview. I eventually got a job working from home which allowed me time to finally be calm enough with having a job that I was able to again find a job that I enjoyed doing. Today I know what kind of manager I look for when I'm at an interview, and thanks to the manager who changed my life completely, I also know what kind of manager I'll be someday.

Learn more about this author, Marie J Kelley.
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