RADIO PRESENTER LYNDA NYANGWESO SPEAKS ABOUT LEAVING TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT

Radio presenter Lynda Nyangweso has shared an update after leaving the Radio Africa-owned media station Kiss FM. 

In a series of Instagram stories, the media personality disclosed that she took a ‘do nothing’ break after leaving her job. “So I’m back in Nairobi and figuring out my path for what’s next and working for and by myself has been a journey in second guessing myself, but this was the reminder I needed. I’m lucky I’ve had the privilege of taking an actual do nothing break but during that time I’ve noticed a few things…,” she wrote. 

Lynda mentioned that most people define themselves by what they do, making any other thing related to themselves feel like laziness or failure. 

She added that accepting help was hard but she had the honour of getting support of people who made sure she was at ease and take a short break. “We are so hardwired to define ourselves so greatly by ‘what we do’ that rest feels like laziness. Like we have failed. I’m reminding myself, and you, that it is radical and amazing to choose rest, hit, pause, guilt free, this is not the end.

Accepting help feels like begging. I’ve had the honour to be surrounded by people who have not only encouraged but made it possible for me to take a break and I need to shed the shame of not having anything to say when people ask ‘what next’.”

She added that she is working on her own content, however, afraid of sharing as she is not sure if people will care to consume it. Nyangweso also shared her experience working in a toxic work environment that saw her seek an appointment with a psychiatrist.

“I’m in a spot where I’m working on my own content and I’m afraid to post because I don’t know if anyone cares. When you leave a toxic work environment it hits you mm how much gaslighting you need to shed. Whether it’s a work environment or a toxic relationship, you are not meant to feel stuck, you are meant for ease, you are meant for joy,” she affirmed. 

She added; “So I now have a proper diagnosis after going to a psychiatrist. That’s one of the radical things I did for me and I want to remind you, you are not meant for struggle beloved. 1 in 4 Kenyans are struggling with mental disorders, choose you and talk to someone.

I had to ask myself, to survive and actually thrive in a toxic environment for more than a decade, I must have taken on some toxic coping mechanisms so leaving only means working on shedding that. So, don’t call out toxic people without asking yourself what makes you the toxic one and doing the work to shed that and only embrace what builds you and others around you.”