I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have paid.
~Jessie Belle Rittenhouse (1869–1948)
Have you set your wages with the narcissist in your life, working for “a menial’s hire”? Do you continue to give 110%, thinking that one day, you’ll be rewarded for all the time, effort, and dedication you’ve invested in the relationship? Are you holding out for the day when your narcissist morphs into a caring, compassionate individual, expressing remorse for their deeds…and promising to make it all up to you and, further, to compensate you for all the overtime you’ve worked?
Take a moment to read the small print. There is no union, no fair labor act, no HR department to ensure checks and balances. You’re working for a tyrant CEO.
And there’s only one way to liberate yourself from this malicious environment – develop an exit plan.
One of the major causes of depression is settling for a life that one isn’t happy with. Are you going to banish your limiting beliefs? Take the steps to realize your true potential? Decide enough is enough?
You are really two people; the person you are today and the person you dream of being… Will you be one of the growing posse of victors that consciously and proactively takes control of their lives?
Will it be hard? Yes! Will it be inconvenient? You betcha’…but hard and inconvenient doesn’t mean impossible. Let’s weigh your options:
- Live out the rest of your life working under a tyrant CEO, which in itself is much harder and inconvenient, because you will never realize true happiness. You’ll continue to be passed up for promotions, which will be given to the newest supply in the department. Your dedication and contributions will never be acknowledged, and in fact, you will likely be demoted as time goes on. (Devalue and discard)
- Put in your notice (No Contact) and endure a transitory period of scathing backlash. This will feel really crappy at first. You’ll be forced to do things way out of line with your character (avoid, ignore, block…perhaps file protection orders, or worse…tell a lie or two). The emotional pain will escalate due to mental and physiological withdrawal, grief, guilt, unrequited love, no closure, no apologies…and mostly, not being able to understand “why”.
Most people in the first stages of No Contact feel as if they’re dying. And in many ways they are…
But the good news is that they die to their old selves; the self that believes they are powerless. They find out what it is inside of them that caused them to stay. They heal their wounds. They re-discover themselves and begin to love themselves again…to love life again. They grow spiritually. Some make major overhauls to their lives, including career changes, moving to another state, starting a business, learning to play an instrument, realizing dreams that had long been tucked away, finding true love, etc., etc.,
That sensation of dying goes away (if you’re dedicated to loving yourself) and a whole new world opens up. It’s a Phoenix Process…
and it all begins with making a promise to yourself.
How To Start Your Phoenix Process
Everyone has the innate capacity to heal themselves. But it’s likely you will need external support to heal the traumas that get in the way of your ability to tune into this gift. Our beautiful community includes people in varying stages of their healing, and several who are celebrating their anniversaries of no contact!
I cover the applications and theories in all of these areas in my narcissistic abuse recovery program, which has been voted a favorite by professionals in the psychological community. Therapists refer their own clients to this program.
Discover the strength inside you to overcome crippling emotional pain, defeat helplessness, and create a meaningful, fulfilling life. The Break Free Program will give you the exact strategies to help you discover the key to transformational healing and overcoming the addiction to drama and trauma.
See what students and mental health professionals have to say.
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life” ~ Charles Dederich
