[susanjean2014]

I am 46 years old, recently divorced, and in a dead end job doing A/R clerk duties in a company where I do not fit in. I am starting out exhausted after a long and unhealthy marriage and my self esteem is lacking in so many areas. I obtained my accounting degree in 1993 and never passed the CPA exam because children and family were a priority for me. I was a stay at home mom for the past 15 years and only recently stepped back into the accounting field after getting divorced.

I am so discouraged because my work environment is pretty toxic. I work with some nasty women who just want to bring me down. Soon after a new office bully was hired, my life became miserable at work. She was nasty and confrontational and I tried my best to deal with her in a professional and neutral manner. However, she was relentless and it took a toll on me. She went to the boss with complaints that I mistreated her, but really she was the one mistreating me. The whole thing took a terrible turn and my boss never did understand the extent of what really happened because she behaved very differently when he was around.

Fast forward to today, I am so tired. I am so discouraged. I started out feeling confident, thinking I could do this test. Now I just want to cry. I don’t fit in at work, but I know that the only way for me to find a truly challenging job and be taken seriously is to pass the CPA exam. I am not taken seriously at work right now. I have lost my motivation at this job after putting my heart and soul into my work. I feel devalued.

What can I do? How can I turn this around? How can I regain my motivation to pass this daunting test? I could use some encouragement.

Has anyone taken the test this late in their life? Has anyone worked in a terrible work environment where they felt devalued and unchallenged? I am getting to where I just can’t stand my job. Also, it hurts that my boss has chosen to take the path of least resistance and not back me up, after having worked as a temp for 5 years before this bully came on. After she was there for 6 months, it was the first time anyone ever had a single complaint against me. I had always gotten along with everyone at the company. It is so unfair and unjust.

There are no jobs in my area, so I just want to pass this test and then approach some CPA firms, but not until I pass the test.

Please – any advice and encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I am so down right now. I am so discouraged.

I want to pass the CPA test and have been battling negative self talk and self doubt. I am just so discouraged right now. I have the 2014 Wiley book and the ninja notes for FAR. But I can’t bring myself to study because I feel so discouraged.

Thanks for listening. I’d love to hear some success stories for anyone who worked in a toxic work environment and managed to get out and into something better by way of passing this test.

Thanks for listening!!!!

[Skynet]

Susan, I was like that a few months ago at my retail job. I had to deal with incompetent managers, supervisors, and associates. The worst thing was I had either no trust in their managing capabilities and did not trust them on individual level. They decided to screw me over and me and management left on bad terms. However, I did some reflection and I said to myself “WHY THE HELL WAS I THERE FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS ANYWAYS? 3 EFFIN YEARS!” I didn't go to school for retail mamagement. I went to school for accounting for god's sake! After that, I took 5 days off to calm myself and relax. Then I cracked open my books and went straight to studying 6-8 hours a day. I may be unemployed at the moment but at least I don't have to deal wih he incompetence anymore and it allows me to focus on my main goal and that is the CPA exams. I said to myself that when I am in the process of getting my CPA or am a CPA with a great job, i plan on seeking them out and rub it in their faces. This is what's been driving me to pass the CPA exams. Pass or die trying.

AUD - 90
BEC - 78
FAR - 84
REG - 87

World Domination Plan

Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
Phase II : Megan Fox - In Progress
Phase III : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
Phase IV : Form the new Charlie's Angels with Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson, & Gal Gadot
Phase V : TBD

BEC : 78
REG : 87
FAR : 84
AUD : 90

World Domination Plan

Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
Phase II : Megan Fox - Initiated
Phase III : Bring back 8-Tracks
Phase IV : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
Phase V : TBA

[Lindrobe]

@susanjean2014, I think that if you start studying, it may help you to take your mind off of the work problems. It definitely did for me anyways. I have my own work dramas, and I focused and stressed about them a lot less while I was studying for the exams. Now that I am done studying, back to stressing. ha ha. Just a thought.

FAR 12/3/14, 87
AUD 2/3/14, 90
BEC 4/1/14, 88
REG 5/27/14, 94

Licensed CPA, Indiana

"Successful people do things that unsuccessful people don't want to do"

[mla1169]

I would certainly be looking for another job, theres no need to feel bullied at work. Besides if they allowed you to temp for 5 years before bringing you on board that shows a serious lack of commitment to you and to your professional future.

In the meantime however I would use their drama as motivation to pass this exam. When YOU are CPA you will absolutely leave them in your dust.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[CPA50]

Putting on my mother hen hat…

At our age, we need to remember to take extra good care of ourselves. Exercise and excellent nutrition cannot be overemphasized. Even if it's as small as adding a green smoothie, taking a walk and adding extra magnesium, it will help. Talk to your physician and make sure that you're at the right weight, stop drinking, smoking and step away from the cookie jar. Give yourself every advantage and don't unwittingly sabatoge your success with your lifestyle. Good advice when you're 25, but absolutely crucial at 40+. Don't even get me started on hormones…

We're here for you during this exciting journey!

AUD - 80
BEC - 77
FAR - 80
REG - 80

3 years

+ 16 tests

+ 2 expired sections

= DONE FOREVER!

AUD 88 (expired), 80 retake
FAR 64,69,67,73,67,73,73,73, August 3
REG 75 (expired) September 7
BEC 72, 77

The adventure continues...

[vanadium3]

First thing's first. You need to take care of yourself. That means get lots of sleep, eat right, do some exercise, walk around, get that stress out of your system.

It will be hard at first, so just take baby steps and feed yourself with positive influence. read books, videos, music that are motivating. not just for time killing. think about the positives in your life. have a goal and have hope so you can look forward to it everyday. if you don't have one, make up one! I'm sure you can picture some sort of ideal life you want?

If you keep on thinking how it sucks your job environment is, or how bad your co workers treat you, it's only going to make it worse as our subconscious mind will confirm what we think. don't underestimate what we can do to ourselves. we can be for us, or against.

Do something to change your thinking first.

In the grand theme of things, if you look at everything like you were on top of the world, all these daily problems do not weigh much. Set your sight afar, pass the cpa exam! One step at a time and you will do it!

“A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time. When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, The one I feed the most.”

CPA

[Kimboroni]

I don't have much advice on the toxic work environment, but I'm 44 and also divorced from an unhealthy marriage (although it was a long time ago), so I know where you are coming from. I'm halfway through passing these exams, just finished school (post bac accounting certificate), and in January I got my black belt. Now I'm looking around thinking “what's next?” I think putting your efforts into this exam could be just the thing you need to take the focus off the sucky things in life. Build yourself some positives.

I love dancing, so that outlet has been great to help take stress off. Hopefully you can find something physical like that that helps you.

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[susanjean2014]

Thank you so much, everyone!!!! I am grateful for this forum. I am soaking in all of your advice. I see that my situation is not so unique. I have to focus. Things will get better. I'll keep my eye out for a new job and in the meantime, try my best to do well at work and have a strict study plan.

Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

I know two people who started their journey later than you are starting your's. Both were new to this great country and faced significant language barriers.

Use your past as a catalyst for the future. Take your anger out on those MCQ questions/daily exercise. It's how I've dealt with issues thus far.

We're all in this together!

[jaemanminard]

@ susanjean2014 – Study the CPA using Ninja Notes and WTB. It's the short cut of the short cuts!

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.” (Blaise Pascal) *Revelation 3:20, Isaiah 53, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-10*

[Author]

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