On October 1st, 2020, after staying home for five months following my national service, I landed a job at a very big pharmacy. And when I say “very big,” I mean it—no exaggeration. I was excited, hopeful, and ready to start a new chapter in my life.

However, as the days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, I began to realize that this was quickly becoming the worst decision I had ever made. Despite being a graduate, I felt deeply insulted and undervalued, even as a human being. The job’s extra functions were ridiculous, and it started taking a toll on my mental health.

Almost every day, I went to bed with tears in my eyes or on the brink of crying, feeling like I deserved better. I struggled with the words to express how insane my job functions were and how out of place I felt. While some people came to work happy and energized, it was simply not the right place for me.

I constantly complained to my friend, who I was living with at the time. Always crying, always sad, always grumbling. She and her best friend tried their best to console and comfort me. It is so important to have good friends; they make a world of difference.

You might be wondering why I stayed so long in such a miserable environment. Why didn’t I just walk away? Did they tie me to the office? Of course not! But I was afraid. I was scared of what would come next. I knew many graduates were desperate for any job, and I wasn’t ready to let go of what was affecting my emotional health out of fear.

I remembered the emotional turmoil I went through during those five months at home, nearly losing my mind from doing nothing. The fear of the unknown paralyzed me, and I limited myself—and indirectly, I limited God. I endured an abusive environment for my mental health because of this fear.

Finally, on December 8th, 2020, I walked away. I chose to put my mental health first, not caring where my next meal would come from. I just knew it was time to leave. I’d had enough.

Your situation might not be work-related like mine, my ever-radiant reader. It might be a relationship, a friendship, or any other toxic situation. If you’re afraid and thinking, “Tiolu, you don’t understand—I’ve invested so much into this,” know that I’m here to tell you to walk away. Walk away afraid, and everything will fall into place.

Nothing on earth deserves to affect your mental health. Nothing in this world should make you feel less worthy of yourself. You are God’s precious child, worthy of love and the precious blood of Jesus Christ. No situation, no relationship, no office environment, no person, and no circumstance should ever make you feel less worthy.

Almost four years later and I am glad I made such a decision walking away. The decision has pushed me to a better place in my career and I am so grateful for how far I have come.

This is your reminder: It is time to walk away from bad associations and any situation affecting your mental health, self-respect, or self-esteem. Trust that God has many options for you. If you take the time to look closely and re-evaluate peacefully, you’ll realize you don’t need to settle.

Walk away, putting God at the center of it all. Walk away, knowing He is your refuge. Walk away, trusting that God will make a better way, as He has done in the past. God has a track record of keeping His word.

Don’t settle for anything less than the best.