“Why speak up your retired?” A common question over the last few years.
Having survived workplace conflict, bullying and violence I felt a moral obligation to continue to speak up, to share what I did to survive and eventually thrive. In the beginning this was a lonely place, no one seemed to want to pay attention. Others were suffering. There were whispers across the land about other officers who also experienced workplace harassment and bullying yet often silenced by fear of retribution.
I started to speak up about workplace bullying at my first detachment. Although I loved my job in serving the people of Canada being part of our National Police Force, the RCMP, it was the workplace abuse that made the 20 years a trauma eventually resulting in PTSD.
So, in hindsight realized I began to ‘survive’ by creating a self care tool kit at this first detachment and over the many years added other ‘tools’, that made me feel good, strong and happy. Today, fitness is the first go to tool when stressed. I look at it this way, once you know something you cannot unknow it! If my work can help one person not feel the hopelessness and despair, then it is worth it. Remember you are not alone, speak up, seek positive supports and learn how to be happy and what that looks like for you.
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