Goodbyes are difficult.
It is especially difficult to say goodbye to something you love. As my last days at Stockal inch towards the finale, I feel an aching sense of responsibility to pay homage to the company that not only changed my perspective of work, but also of my worth.
When I joined Stockal as a Marketing Intern just after my BBA graduation course, I wasn’t looking for much. My expectations from the company was just to gain enough experience to have an ideal number of months decorated on my resume. 6 months at max, that was the goal in my head. But how those 6 months doubled into a year, and how even saying goodbye to the company after this one eventful year has left me feeling gutted, I hardly can fathom.
My initial days at Stockal covered mostly doing administrative jobs. Writing small scripts of content, vetting a few articles before release, and doing other simple administrative tasks was what I was expected to do. I was scared to speak my mind, I was afraid to upset the wrong people or do the wrong thing, and so mostly, I preferred hiding behind the backdrops.
My motto was straightforward (and easy to accomplish)- “Avoid Instead of Falter”.
But as time progressed and I found a permanent position in the company as an executive, I was given the opportunity to do what interests me, and that changed the whole game. My managers encouraged me to push myself.
Mistakes were welcomed, flexibility was encouraged, and creativity was accoladed.
These opportunities unlocked a new world for me. I began writing full fledged articles for the company. I pursued my interest in content and created a whole strategy behind it. I began speaking my mind, and taking initiatives for the company. I communicated with a number of people and took up self-initiated projects. I went after responsibilities beyond my scope of work. And eventually, as I slowly unfurled into the employee that I am today, I realized that working could be fun.
I don’t say all this to boast about my contributions to the company. I say all this to highlight the work environment created at Stockal. If it wasn’t for the encouragement and motivation I received from my team of seniors to take up tasks I didn’t even know I had the capability of accomplishing, I would have never pushed myself to do the things I always wanted to do, but was too afraid of pursuing.
My seniors at Stockal put their faith in me, despite knowing that I was just a beginner with little experience in the corporate world. They made me realise my own potential, and helped me find my line of interest and passion.
Today, I have a much clearer understanding of what I want to do, and what I am capable of. As a female who now strives to achieve more and move beyond my comfort zone and fears, I can say with confidence that I now know what I can do, and how much I can achieve.
Before I joined Stockal, my perception of the corporate world was that it was boring, monotonous and rigorous. I always thought that life could only be celebrated after leaving the office space, and that working was just meant for the experience and the money. But the people at Stockal have given me so much more than experience. I now understand the value of working with quality. I now know that a full life can be lived inside and outside of your work. Stockal has opened up a world of possibilities for me, not only in terms of what my standing could be in the corporate world, but also of how I want to live my life.
So as I leave this company, moving on to the next stage of my life, I leave bitter-sweet, bereft, and heart-wrenched. Because how do you say goodbye to a place that has changed you forever?
-Madalsa Dixit
29th July, 2021 | Signing Off
