Day 10 Getting the Knife Out of My Back

I have learned so much about corporate America. I thought I had been through and seen it all. I felt like I was conquering it. I also thought I was confident enough to not let things get me down. But today I hit a road block. I went into work ready for the day. I have been on such an emotional high lately. It seems that things were coming together. But a wise person once told me that all things, good and bad eventually come to an end. For almost a week I felt unstoppable. I felt nothing and no one could bring me down. I finally found my strength, courage and focus. Then I was sucker punched metophorically speaking and it all went to hell in a handbasket.

See, I have worked with this one woman in my department for 5+ years. She is one of the only people there in my department besides management I trusted. All the people that work in my department are bitter and disasatisfied. They are backstabbers and they will do whatever it takes to get ahead. Since for 5 years there have been no advancement opportunities,our department does not have a good vibe in it. Have you ever seen a bunch of crabs in a pot. They'll climb all over each other just to get out. Well that describes my department in a nutshell. I thought this one woman was not like the others. I sit next to her. We talk about our families, interests, love life etc. We buy Christmas and birthday gifts for each other. We confide in each other. I thought in all aspects, it was a mutual friendship. So when she applied for the leadership program in the beginning of the year, I wrote a well thought out and glowing recommendation. She got into the program and has changed since being elected into it. Being in the leadership program is like working your 40+ hour work week and then going to a seperate job. It requires a lot of time, energy and commitment. Well, she hasn't been around much.
Well today, she showed her true colors. She had a meeting with my director and told on a lot of people for things that they were doing wrong at work. Then, after her meeting, she went and told everyone that she told on that it was me who was going to management and getting people in trouble. So now, everyone started treating me with contempt and said things loudly about me. I didn't understand why. I got so upset and confused because I didn't understand why people that I worked so hard at building a professional relationship with would all of a sudden treat me so poorly. I went to my manager and found out that she was the one infact that had told on everyone. No one even got in trouble but she still felt the need after turning everyone in, to make me the nark. I just couldn't believe that after 5 years of friendship she would throw me to the wolves like that. I felt more betrayed than I have in a while. What's bad is it made me cry which is so unprofessional. I let them get the best of me. I went home. Tomorrow is a new day though. I have to remind myself of something a wise person told me-you have to make yourself your number one priority. You have to go into work looking out for yourself because you never know in corporate america what motivates people around you. Also most importantly I have to remember that all things good and bad do not last forever. This too will pass. Tomorrow is a new day and all I can do is go to work, plug in my headphones, do my job to the best of my abilitities and never let them see me sweat!