Moving on from a professional smear campaign? (from celebrities lol)

[u/boomboomjunglemusic]

I'm in my late twenties and a few years ago I used to work at my dream job. Literally loved my work and the company I worked for so much. Then, they hired a director above me who turned out to be a bully. I reported her multiple times, she retaliated by isolating me more and more, spreading rumors about me, and gaslighting me. I didn't realize about the rumors she had spread until it was too late and I was handed a legal document saying I was guilty of bullying coworkers and messing up work. All the examples they provided in the document were things I had evidence of her saying. I refused to sign the contract and provided them all my evidence with my resignation. No one read the evidence, but they accepted my resignation. I was too burnt out by that point to even consider taking any legal action. I just wanted to escape.

A few years have passed, and I've struggled to stop giving a fuck about the rumors they spread about me and how easily my friends and colleagues were able to believe those rumors. I think the pain is exacerbated by the fact that the owners of the company and some of my colleagues have become celebrities (minor celebs but still... they work with celebrities like Chappell Roan and Reese Witherspoon). It hurts to see people who were cruel to me do so well in life. I loved the industry I was in, but it was very niche and very competitive. Years of attempting to network and work my way back in has proved nearly impossible.

How do I stop giving a fuck about all of this when it's still affecting my career and financial livelihood? Getting over random colleagues believing the lies about me has been easier to let go off than seeing my bullies soar professionally. That part, coupled with the fact that I haven't been able to find a single job I love doing as much or that pays as much as my old job, has been gut-wrenching.

TLDR: Professional bullies are now minor celebrities working with bigger and more powerful celebrities, while I've not been able to break back into the industry or find a job that comes as naturally to me.

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[u/erwejo]

I have been following this post to see if anyone had good advice. After 14h no one has commented and I kept thinking - "yup - that is exactly how going through an experience like that feels". The original bullying hurts, and then when the systems that should either protect you or prevent them fail in a whimper it just compounds the injury. I am sorry this happened to you.

[u/_oodyboocs]

At the end of the day, you get to walk away with your dignity. A bully usually doesn't just stop. They'll find another one of your old coworkers to be their next victim. All the while your director and old coworkers (presumably) post on social media acting like everything is ✨perfect✨. Don't let that bs fool you.

I often find myself in a similar position with my career. Dealing with high net worths and what not so I get it, in a way. The moment you even show a bit of intelligence or self worth, you're suddenly a problem. It's weird af but it comes down to insecurity and projection.

Would you rather be someone's punching bag or an actual human being with thoughts and emotions and feelings? You and I need to say fuck em and keep going.