They either live with it because they have no choice, and spend all their time and energy just trying to get through it, or they give up on life entirely and stop working, or they push through and get lucky enough to get a job with a livable wage. I happen to fall in the last category. It took me until my mid-30’s to get to a place where I’m comfortable enough financially. It was all very hard work until that point. It’s hard work now, but without the pressure of having a shitty job and not enough money and not enough choices on top of it.

Keep making good decisions. And keep going to work. Keep planning and going for the future. Don’t get sidetracked by bullshit coworkers. Do your job well—and use your own yardstick for that. Fuck the bar and fuck people getting on your case. Smile and keep going.

As far as smiling for customers, think of it this way— they might be me. Someone who was once where you are and knows what you’re going through and just wants a break and a nice drink. You may not know how much it means to us that you’re there. But it means a lot.

Hope this helped.

I hope you can get out of there soon. I’m moving to a new place soon and NEED the paychecks and have been searching for a job almost anywhere else (I’m not taking more than a 1 dollar pay cut, or going for companies I know are shittier to employees) but I feel so stuck. I had to ask for more hours after almost quitting and saying I’d only stay if I had less hours maybe 6 months ago. And now I can’t afford to live bc I barely work, not that I want to work more at Starbucks.. I’m sorry you’re in a similar spot, I know how awful it is :/

Your already at your limit. You have two options realistically that are mentally healthy. 1) Find a different job, one where you'll enjoy the day to day activity. Sounds like your not a food person, so maybe retail or a front desk job somewhere. Or a gym. Theres more out there than food and you never know if you'll even get an interview unless you try. 2) switch stores even if its not as convenient. Ive never worked at a Starbucks that just throws you to the wolves even when I know 100% what I'm doing. I also find that when im not communicating, others don't communicate with me so I have to ask, are you bringing up any of this with shifts, store managers and lastly regional or district managers? The third option is stick it out through schooling but it feels like you are already done

So many foodservice workers are in the same situation. We do it because we have to to survive. Hang in there

Do you feel like this 24/7? Because it may be a sign that it's not just you don't enjoy your job.