I’ll take it!

June 13th, 2023

“Wow, this is sad news. I mean sad for me, but I understand good news for you. You’ve been a great partner for the last five years and it was a tremendous pleasure working with you. You set extremely high standards and a person taking over for you will have his work cut out for him. I’ll find time over the next few weeks to come over and say thank you in person. For now — thank you so much for all the cooperation and collaboration and partnership and support!”.

That is what I heard over the phone when I told my main supplier that I will be leaving my job at the end of the month. I got emotional, even though I was expecting it to get emotional. I was expecting something, but I wasn't expecting such an overwhelming and heartfelt outpouring of good words about myself. My first reaction was to be dismissively humble— Oh, come on, I was just doing my job, this is nothing and it is not such a big deal— but then I quickly decided that no, I will take all the compliments coming my way as they are. There will be no second-guessing or false modesty. I know the work I put in and I will take the acknowledgment of it with pleasure and pride. My ego got a tremendous bust, as you can imagine, and there might have been poignant tears in my eyes. It is so nice to be valued in such a way and to hear it so clearly from another person.

I spoke with a work colleague afterward and she told me the same — take it as it comes, don't question those nice words. And then she told me that she heard similar sentiments from other people I work with at my current job. I can expect more emotions to come along as I say my goodbyes, and I am ready for it and will take everything to myself without any hesitation.