Twenty Years on the Job and This Is It?

Truthful Tales of An Underwhelming Work Milestone

March 12, 2021, marks my twentieth anniversary at my job. Try saying the word “twentieth” several times and quickly. It’s a mouthful, and it sounds big and grand and awesome, but I couldn’t be more underwhelmed if I tried.

Over the years, I’ve watched family, friends, and associates announce work milestones and even attended many of their celebrations (which we’re obviously not having now because of the global pandemic). Attending those parties was like a robotic dance. I congratulated honorees, grabbed a piece of white cake (if it was an option), scraped off the icing, ate it, and left without a thought or dream of reaching their destination.

Today, I’m thinking about the milestone parties I attended for my Mom and her friends at her former employer when I was a kid. The rooms were packed with folks from the top, middle, and bottom of the org chart. Everyone was smiling, laughing, and having a great time. The flowers and decorations were gorgeous, and the refreshments were delicious. If I had to imagine myself working somewhere for 20 years, I would’ve hoped it would be celebrated just like that… big and grand and amongst a room full of family and co-workers that have become lifelong friends.

In contrast, my anniversary is a major accomplishment that will go unnoticed and unmentioned other than the words I share here. That saddens me because it is something to be celebrated. I’ve worked hard, learned, grown, and intentionally challenged myself and others to be better. I don’t believe that I am where I should be in my career, however; I am proud of the accomplishments that I’ve made over the past 20 years. I’ve held five positions and have seen, touched, and learned the most important aspects of the organization from many vantage points while most have had to live within one universe. I am blessed daily with opportunities to dip my hands deeply into creative initiatives and develop and shape assets that move the needle forward.

Today, I enter my 20-year anniversary quietly with no fanfare or accolades. I can’t say I expected more, but I do. I assumed that reaching this milestone in my career would be much more exciting. I also assumed I’d receive a ballpoint pen, a six-pack of bottled water, or at least a bag of Cheez-It once I reached the top of this mountain, but I was wrong.

Although there will be no acknowledgment about this special day from the place I’ve worked most of my adult life, I’m celebrating my accomplishments internally because I know who and how I was when I started this journey 20 years ago. My whole life is different… with different addresses, different marital statuses, different weights, different mindsets, and a different awareness about who I am, what I offer, and why it matters. My job outlasted most of the variables in my life, including fake friendships I’m thankful have kicked rocks.

Two hundred and forty months later, most of my work friends have moved on to disassociated pastures or transferred to other locations, yet I’m still here. I’ve attempted to leave for other jobs a few times, but apparently, it wasn’t in the cards. Am I proud that I’ve survived many reductions-in-force and budget cuts over the years? Absolutely! Like many employers around the world, the organization I work for has made major financial sacrifices and adjustments because of economic recessions, so I’m truly thankful to still have a job and a small corner in which I can write, create, and contribute in my own way. Unfortunately, opportunities to elevate are currently frozen due to budget constraints, but I’m not giving up hope just yet.

Reaching this milestone makes me wonder what’s next for me. I have so much more to accomplish, and I’m eager to see where the Law of Attraction takes me. Having the chance to work from home has shown me I’m happiest when I’m writing. It’s in the core of every cell of my body. Everything about me comes alive when I write. If I didn't have writing as a creative outlet, my soul would die a slow and painful death. I’m too young, brilliant, courageous, curious, and sexy to not do what I love every day.

Will I continue working at my job until I reach the promised land of retirement eligibility? Who knows? I’m wise enough not to make the mistake of predicting how much longer I’ll be there because we know what happened last time.

I don’t have any plans for my anniversary, but if I’m feeling celebratory, I may have a bottle of water and a big bag of Cheez-Its to commemorate this momentous once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Happy 20th Anniversary to me!