From Fired to Empowered: Heather Monahan’s Lessons on Self-Worth and Agency

In a recent LinkedIn post, Heather Monahan shares a pivotal moment from her career that led her to reclaim agency over her professional and personal life. Monahan details the experience of being fired and the subsequent choice she made that fundamentally shifted her perspective on self-worth and external validation. She uses this experience to highlight several practices she has since abandoned, framing them as detrimental to personal and professional growth.

Monahan recounts the ultimatum presented to her by a new CEO: sign a severance deal with a gag clause or a one-line waiver for nothing. Her refusal to sign either document and subsequent departure marked a turning point. She states:

I refused to sign either, stood up, and left. That was the day I stopped letting others set the terms of my life..

Shedding Self-Imposed Limitations

Following this experience, Monahan outlines a series of actions she no longer engages in, emphasizing a newfound commitment to her own value and voice. A key area of focus is the practice of underselling oneself.

According to Monahan, undervaluing one’s services is a direct reflection of internal self-belief. She argues:

Undersell Myself and my services. If you don’t believe in your own worth, why would anyone else.

This sentiment underscores the idea that external recognition is contingent upon internal conviction. Without believing in one’s own worth, Monahan suggests, it is unlikely that others will either.

Finding and Using One’s Voice

Another significant shift Monahan discusses is the cessation of waiting for permission to speak. For years, she writes, she experienced frustration by adhering to a passive approach to communication.

Monahan highlights the realization that she possesses the power to initiate her own engagement:

Wait for permission to speak first. I spent years waiting to be called on. I would end up frustrated. Turns out I can call on myself.

This shift from seeking external validation to self-initiation is presented as crucial for overcoming frustration and asserting oneself effectively.

The Illusion of Title-Based Security

Furthermore, Monahan challenges the notion that a job title guarantees security. Her own experience of being let go despite holding a significant title serves as a stark reminder.

She points out the fallacy of relying on a position for safety:

Believe a title equals safety. I had the title. I still got walked to the door.

Monahan concludes by reflecting on the paradoxical nature of her situation, where losing her paycheck ultimately led her to discover her true worth. She poses a question to her audience, prompting introspection about the compromises they might be making to appease others.

The core message from Monahan’s post is a powerful call to action for individuals to recognize their inherent worth, to use their voices assertively, and to understand that true security comes from within, not from external positions or the approval of others.