Dropping the Bomb

Yesterday at the monthly staff meeting, my supervisor let the rest of my coworkers know that I have put my notice in. (Before, it was a not-so-little secret that her and I were sharing until the ‘moment was right’.) Phew!! It’s another huge relief to have that out in the open. Now I don’t have to be all vague and non-committal when talking to my colleagues, and now I really feel like I can be authentic again. Ah, sweet sweet authenticity! 🙂

I was curious (and a bit nervous) to see how my coworkers would react to the news, especially with me being right in the same room when it came out. Would they all nod their heads in a grim ‘good riddance, no surprise there’ gesture? Would they be shocked? Would the meeting carry on as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened?

When my supervisor mentioned (randomly, right after talking about an event we will be hosting) that I had put my notice in, it was like a bomb of shock had been dropped on the table. (Confession: I was happy and relieved about this reaction. I was so concerned that my job performance had been tanking lately and that people would be all too pleased to kick my ass on the way out the door. So to have them be stunned and perplexed was a good sign in my books. Also: I am human and appreciate feeling needed and liked.)

The hush continued for a good part of the rest of the meeting (until cake came out and all was forgotten for a few fleeting moments). Afterwards, I was approached by many of my colleagues to share a more one-on-one explanation for my seemingly abrupt decision to depart. All of them were very supportive and understanding in the end, so yesterday ended up being an AWESOME day overall. I’m happy not to feel like I am in trouble anymore and secretly satisfied to feel like I will be missed. (Hello, ego!) Of course, I’m sure they will find somebody great to fill my position, and if they really luck out, they won’t end up with a big drama queen like me again! 🙂