focus on the positive:
* You have some money coming in and less going out of your savings while you continue to look for a job with better pay and benefits that you can stay with longer. You’re not going to hit.that point where your savings is completely emptied. Try not to quit this one until you have your next job. You’ll find something else faster if you are currently enployed.
*. You’re building a cute new wardrobe. Who doesn’t like nice new clothes? But also you’ll have a wardrobe that you can wear to a variety of jobs.
* You like your workmates. Some may even remain new friends after you leave Chico’s.
* You’re working for a good company that has a good reputation for diversity; a company that hires and caters to older women; a company that has women in top leadership corporate positions. Oh sure, they’d be an even better company if they paid you better but let’s stay on theme and focus on the positive.
*.A month ago, you started a job that you were unsure you could do. And you found out that, not only can you do it, but you can do it well and in your own softersell, non-pouncy way. You’ve had positive feedback from coworkers, customers and you manager and even been told that you have management potential. This has led to, IMO, the best positive of all: I can feel a palpable change in your attitude since you got this job. You’re less depressed and more confident and generally back to your usual upbeat, good-humored personality. Being unemployed for over a year in your fifties is scary and would get anyone down. You had to face age discrimination and learn how to job hunt in today’s world. It can start to feel like no potential employers value you or your experience. It’s amazing how fast you can come out of that funk once you are working again.
As for you store manager’s intensity, if she is generally a nice person, I’d cut her a little slack. She is probably under a lot of pressure and facing a bit of an unknown future since Chico’s was sold in January 2024 and has a new owner. Here’s a link to an article about that in case you haven’t already seen it:
And, no, LOL, I’m not a life coach like Jackie on The Connors. 😉. I’m just pointing out some of the positives as I see them.