That time I got fired…

I have an inside joke with my friends and one little sister who never fails to laugh and remind me-

Of the day I was called into the office at work and fired for my “lack of respect for authority. “

Imagine that…

They were right.  I did not have an ounce of respect for them.  I did not join their cult.  Drink their Kool-Aid and/or lie awake at night impressed by their titles and slobbering over their checkbook.  I definitely made a pact to myself that I didn’t want to ever watch one more second of a John Maxwell video…

But was I devastated?

Embarrassed?

Ashamed?

Yes. 

All of the above.

The worst part was my Daddy cried and thought he caused it due to his cancer appointments.

I told him it was my smart mouth.  He didn’t believe me.

His friend Johnny West told me, “They did you a favor.”

I nodded out of respect for my elders but internally thought, “What the H-E- double hockey sticks?

That was over a decade ago.

And Mr. West was so very right.

I walked out of that office and cried.  I didn’t have a car and I called Jeff to come pick me up.

But while I was crying, another job called me and asked if I could be there that afternoon for an interview.

I touched up my mascara and lipstick and went to work with a bunch of men.  A much better fit for me. 

One day, someone called a morning meeting and pulled up a John Maxwell video.  We didn’t get 15 seconds in before a veteran walked out of the room. 

Before he slammed the door, he said, I ain’t coming in early to watch no cheerleader bull****.”

I knew I had found my people.

They paid me 3× what the old job paid and bought me a Rolex.

We never argued over ranch dressing.  They did dare me to try hot sauce, and I may have acted like a heathen at Talladega.

But when in Rome…

I say all of this because someone out there may look at where I am today and assume that I made a lifetime of good decisions.

When actually, I am a survivor of all of the results of the opposite.

The question is-If I hadn’t been stubborn, divorced, fired, targeted-

Would I have been hired, elected, appointed, and invited?

I am not sure.

I do know that any type of success never comes without many, many failures.

I leave one week from today and I am speaking at the American Association of Suicidology Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I am sharing about the power of a story-

Not a pretty one.  An absolute devastating tragedy.  But one that has taken me on a journey I would never imagine.

I have connected more through being open about mistakes and failures, than I ever did by being fake or a subordinate.

It worried me though when recently, one of my own children said, “I don’t handle things like you.”

I thought to myself, “Me?”

I know that I am an absolute train wreck.  Let me correct that.  I can matter of fact say that  I am a dumpster fire because I have not only caused an actual dumpster fire but on more than one occasion I should have been charged with arson.

Maybe when you see the highlight reel, you forget the bloopers.

You forget that everyone has a different viewpoint.

Another child has walked in softly to the house when they have seen my work uniforms hanging out of the garbage can by the road and didn’t know if it was a good time to ask…

Either way, for my children, my grandchildren and my community-

I don’t ever want my life to be a false narrative.  I don’t ever want someone to think that an error or mistake they have made will affect the rest of their lives.

I don’t want to build myself a pedestal or pat myself on the back or write myself a eulogy that doesn’t include a calamity.

When my family faces a life without me, I hope Mamie’s legacy is full of stories that are true- hardheaded, compassionate, impulsive, and shake your head funny.

So, if you ever feel like a failure, come on over to the porch.

There is no shame here.  We can drink a cup of coffee, and we will laugh our tails off together while I tell you the story behind that time I got fired…

If anyone out there feels like a disappointment, reject, mistake, it is absolutely okay-

Whoever you are and whatever you are going through, you are not alone. 

I will end with my favorite Julia Sugarbaker line- “And just so you know, and your children will know…”

“I still don’t respect authority.”

Just ask my little sister.

All my love,

Cheryl Suzette

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988

Alabama Wings Warmline 1-844-999-4647