Written By Cari Borden

Let’s talk about what nobody prepares you for:
Not the job interview, not the awkward goodbye, not even the exit survey where you check “prefer not to say” while mentally screaming “It was the micromanaging narcissist!”

I’m talking about the recovery.

The days after you leave a toxic workplace are weird.
At first, it might feel like a vacation.
Then suddenly…
You’re awake at 7am panicked because you forgot to set your Teams status to green, and then you remember:
“Oh yeah. I don’t work there anymore.”
Relief hits… then grief. Then maybe panic again.

It’s like breaking up with someone you didn’t even like but who still managed to take up every inch of your headspace.
And you realize:
The job is gone.
But the healing? That’s just getting started.

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💔 Welcome to Post-Toxic Job Recovery

Whether you exited with a dramatic “I quit” email or you were lovingly escorted out by security (no judgment), the emotional detox is real. And it’s not always pretty.

Some people party.
Some people isolate.
Some people impulse buy a dog or a domain name.
(Okay… I may or may not have done all three.)

But healing from a toxic job is not linear. It’s not just about finding another paycheck.
It’s about finding your self-worth, your peace, and your identity again.
Because when you’ve spent months or years being gaslit, guilt-tripped, and graded by your green-dot status…
You forget how to just be.

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🛠 How to Survive the Big D (Divorce from a Toxic Workplace)

1. Create a “No More” List.
Write down every toxic behavior you will never tolerate again. This is your red flag radar going forward. Keep it handy for interviews.

2. Rebuild Your Confidence Muscles.
Toxic jobs make you question your value. Remind yourself of the wins they ignored. You didn’t lose your talent, they lost access to it.

3. Say the Unsaid (To Yourself).
Journal it. Voice note it. Scream into a pillow. The stuff you couldn’t say? Let it out now. Healing doesn’t happen in silence.

4. Don’t Rush the “What’s Next?”
Sometimes the next move is a nap. Or therapy. Or a low-stress temp gig that gives your nervous system a break. Honor the pause.

5. Surround Yourself with the Un-Toxics.
Find your people. The ones who don’t need you to “prove” anything. If you’re reading this, you’ve already got one right here.

🧠 Final Thought:

You didn’t just leave a job, you escaped a cycle.
That deserves more than a LinkedIn status update.
It deserves healing.
It deserves celebration.
And it deserves a community that reminds you…

You are not broken. You were just in a place that hoped you’d believe you were.

🙌 If this hit home, hit like and subscribe, we’re healing loudly over here.
Need someone in your corner while you’re still in it? Or just figuring out the next chapter?
You don’t have to do this alone. Sometimes all it takes is one person, a mentor, a guide, or a coach, to help you grow through what you’re going through.

💬 Let’s talk. Find me on Fiverr for personalized support, interview prep, recovery coaching, and leadership growth that actually fits your story.

👉 Fiverr.com
(Because surviving a toxic job is hard. Healing with a little sass and strategy? That’s where I come in.)