Be sure, be very, very sure, but also, as we discussed last week, Don’t Lose Yourself.

When your body is screaming, and if you have the strength, tell your team, boss or partner, you’re having a hard time. Whether it’s due to being overworked, or harassed (or worse), you must speak up at all times. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you work, the industry you are in, or exactly the situation, it’s hard to find self-respect, if you can’t identify the trigger.

Get quiet, close your eyes, and if you feel ok, breathe.

You’re right here.

You’ve found it’s your person who just isn’t nice; or the teammate who screams because their job is above their head, the boss who steals your ideas, the equipment that fails and fails, it can be everything all at once.

I have been on the losing end believe me. And it can be hard to climb back out. But, I’ve also been on the winning end. Losing a job or person you move across the country for, or winning a job or trying a new relationship you drive across a state for. There are so many of us who just don’t know where to begin… how to find the strength to act, or speak up.

Take a deep breath, I promise, you can muster it up. The outcome may not be terrible. And it also may not be what you want. But once you dive in, you’ve got this, I promise. It’s a loss or change you may not see, but you’ve got this.

It sounds ridiculously easy, and it may not be, so… find that breath. And try again…

(This is not meant to be trite, so please note, if needed, The National Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233.)