How a Toxic Workplace Made Me Doubt Myself

I used to think I was just bad at coping with stress. Every Sunday evening, I felt anxious about the week ahead. My chest would tighten when certain emails appeared in my inbox. Before meetings, I’d rehearse what I wanted to say over and over, trying to avoid saying the wrong thing. At the time, I blamed myself. I told myself I needed to be tougher, calmer, better, more resilient. Everyone else seemed to be managing, so I assumed the problem must be me. What I didn’t understand then was how deeply a toxic workplace can affect your sense of …