Perhaps I’m jumping the gun but ever since I was told I was being laid off at the end of the year I have been thinking about my Exit Letter. You know that letter you send when you leave? At my last job I said my goodbyes in person to those who I liked, it didn’t take long. My boss got a Resignation & Exit letter rolled into one. I tried not to skip and sing on my way out on my last day.
This time it’s different. I had imagined I was in my forever job. I was planning on growing old with this company and be the one to watch people come and go. Welcome them into the firm with they arrived, and pack them up and send them back into the world when they were done. That’s how it was up until now.
Now it’s my turn. I have seen plenty of those letters as coworkers have gone on to other opportunities. As far as I know it has always been their choice so the letters go something like this…
“Hi All, as today is my last day, I just wanted to say a quick thank you for all your help, support and friendship as have worked at _______. This company is full of incredible people and I have so enjoyed working with each of you. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to work here, and I wish each of you the best…”
Someone very close to me is working through the breakup of a relationship. We have had many talks and I have assured her that in time she will look back on this person and be grateful it ended. Time will soften the emotional pain and it will simply turn into an event or step in her life. The end, and also the beginning of a new chapter . A chapter yet to be written.
I have found myself having to take my own advice and to look towards the future instead of dwelling on my loss. There is nothing I can do about closing this chapter in my life and walking away from people I have grown to love and look forward to seeing on a daily basis. What I can do is my job, and I can spoil them until the last day, then perhaps they’ll miss me as much as I will miss them.
That last line is a keeper, and universally applicable :).
ReplyDelete