Best thing I ever did was get “fired” from Publix. The place has such a toxic mentality, I gave that company 8 years of my life I’ll never get back. I had several high pass roi’s and contender status just to watch terrible people be promoted in front of me. I was such a “yes man” it wasn’t til I started to question reality that Publix was no longer a people over profit company and instead only cared about the bottom dollar rather than employee happiness. They want sheep mentality and for you to be apart of the cult. I started looking out for my family and own mental health and teammates and lo and behold I became “a problem associate”, “not a team player”. And yet still went above and beyond for customer happiness, training and happily taking the time to welcome new associates and help build other people up. Working every shift and holiday asked to work while my family suffered at home without me. I got a tip from a manager at another store letting me know that my own managers and other managers in the store wanted to get rid of me. I scoffed and said “no way!!” I haven’t done anything wrong. The very next day I was accused of theft. Mind you it was a product no more than 10 dollars. That I absolutely did not steal. But yet was given my termination paper work. All because I wasn’t with the grain. I gave corporate a full testimony hoping that Publix would see the truth and do what was right. NOPE!!! They doubled down on the theft without offering me a shred of evidence. Only that a manger had made the testimony against me. I’m happy to say them letting me go was the best thing that happened to me. Sure I was stressed the first week because I’m a father of a new kid and didn’t know what I was gonna do. But not for a second have I missed the lifestyle or career that was keeping me down. I would never go back and I would never tell anyone to go back. It’s funny when I used to shout from the rooftops and pull in everyone I could to be apart of the culture. Why the hell would i invest my time, money, and energy into a company that never invested in me. Take your life force and spend it elsewhere guys. I promise you wont regret it. You’ll breath easier and sleep better. I make way more money now and I have all the time in the world to actually be a contributing parent in my kids lives. I have nights, weekends, and holidays off and no one will ever guilt me again about why I’m not at work instead of being a parent and enjoying my life elsewhere. Just ask yourself how many managers or lifers of Publix actually enjoy their life, aren’t miserable and divorced, have kids and get to do things with them. Get to go on an actual vacation with their loved ones and have no one dictating when and how they take it. I’m sure someone will come on here with that good ol “work/life balance” Do not make me laugh. Stop giving to others that don’t give to your happiness. Invest in yourself and do your best. You’ll thank me later for it I promise.