To inspire you at the beginning of the New Year, I’m sharing (with permission) an email I recently got from someone who recently quit a job where she was being mistreated. Can’t really add much to it – the joy just leaps off the page. If you are reading this and are stuck in a similarly bad situation – on the job, in a relationship, or otherwise – I urge you to take steps to liberate yourself. As you can see, it’s totally worth it.

Let’s make 2011 the year we all try to make progress on an intractable problem. I’ll commit to losing some weight. How about you folks? Naming your goal and then sharing it are small steps that can be very empowering – so email me with your goal, and perhaps I’ll have a suggestion or resource that will help.

*****

SUBJECT LINE: I QUIT!

Hi Hillary,

I hope this finds you well. I wanted to reach out to you to let you know that I followed your advice and left HORRIBLE EMPLOYER. I quit in a respectable way and left with integrity. I have to say that it feels great! I feel so liberated and my motivation on my personal projects skyrocketed once I sat down with [redacted] and made the decision to leave. It has been great re-motivating myself and being so on top of my work.

Things are going very well and I am looking forward to what is to come. I actually DREAMED another project that I have also started on! That is a total 180 from where I was a couple months ago….

Leaving was the right choice and I feel so liberated! I really see how destructive the situation was and am so proud that I stopped blaming myself for something that wasn’t me.

I hope you are well and really appreciate you opening my eyes.