It starts here…
Welcome! I’m so glad you found me. Let’s get the nitty gritty of how I ended up here out of the way. You’ll also get a little preview of what is coming up this month.
I spent over ten years working in the grind of Corporate America. And, yes, this mammoth beast gets capitalization and italics for the havoc it leaves in its wake. On a daily basis I dealt with insecure, selfish leaders and lacked any sort of decent mentorship.
To quote Madeleine Albright, “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” It’s uninspiring the number of women leaders I worked with and reported into who abused their power, cut down their female colleagues, and chose to demean rather than empower other women in male-dominated environments. My mental health started to decline during my first corporate job. One manager did not respect my choice to prioritize my personal safety over the “opportunity” of a solo trip to a country riddled with terrorist attacks. Another manager routinely shared with me her unsolicited, inappropriate, biased, and belittling thoughts about two of my colleagues, two women whom I greatly respect for their professionalism and intelligence.
Ten years, three jobs, and four cities later, after dealing with variations of the same horrors, I could no longer deny that I was unfulfilled by my career and experiencing full-fledged Burnout. COVID had to kick me while I was down and Long-COVID amplified and triggered a slew of issues. A new job was not going to heal me and I needed to make a drastic change.
In May 2024, I found the courage to quit after four successful, but grueling years at Amazon. It’s too easy to associate the word “quit” with all the negative connotations and failure it could imply. I embrace it as a choice to explore all the doors in a room full of opportunities. A dear friend shared that my choice to quit inspired a dynamic shift on the team, which further solidifies I’m on the right path.
I am on a journey to separate what I’m supposed to do, be, like, and feel from what actually sets my soul on fire, brings me joy, and fills me with a sense of purpose. I am on a journey to heal my soul and my self-confidence after ten years of constantly being told I wasn’t enough by people in power and never having extra energy to expend on myself.
Sunflowers by Candlelight is a space to share, grow, learn, and have fun. In the spirit of community and empowerment I invite you to reach out, comment, and connect.
Coming up this month I’ll share my progress on a home decor project, list my most-recommended doggie extras, introduce you to “Solos” (and, no, I don’t mean the red cups), and more. Be prepared for a smattering of topics presented with a healthy dose of feminism and kindness.
Show yourself some love today, ❤️ Petra.
