It’s not you, it’s your job.

For a long time, I didn’t know my job was the problem.

I had been building my career in the same industry for over 15 years, and in many ways, had become desensitized to all the on-the-job problems.

My office consisted of bosses who worked less than the staff, colleagues who kept their job, even though they should have been fired for incompetence years ago, and demanding clients who had no regard for personal time.

Just like being in a toxic relationship, there were plenty of warning signs I should leave, but I made excuses for them all. I twisted every bad, uncomfortable, awkward, and downright unfair experience into somehow being for my good.

I was passed over for a promotion—I need to work harder.

I was blamed for a team work project that fell through—I need to start taking full ownership.

Budget cuts and company let go’s meant I had to do the job of others’—It’s teaching me to be a better multitasker.

I downplayed the brutal office politics and the cut throat company culture, even after I began to suffer from chronic anxiety, physical exhaustion, and insomnia.

No matter how bad or stressful it got, I always gave my job the benefit of the doubt, but never myself.

It’s Not You, It’s Your Job

Toxic jobs make you feel like you’re the one with the problem, when it’s really them.

One of the reasons I remained in an unfulfilling career for so long was because I truly had begun to believe that I was the problem. I blamed myself for not being able to handle the stress better, when the truth was the work environment was immature, demoralizing, and unprofessional.

Once I stopped blaming myself, and began to see where the real problem was, I was then able to start taking control of my own happiness, and stop making excuses for bad bosses, gossipy coworkers, and poor business practices.

Whether it’s a boss that micromanages, coworkers who create drama, or unequal pay for similar work, this can all lead to chronic stress, which can have devastating effects on not only your mental and emotional well-being, but your body as well.

We all have gripes with our jobs, but when those problems begin to affect your life in negative ways, it’s time to take notice.

Here are 10 major warning signs your job is toxic.

1. You’ve Stopped Working on Your Personal Goals

My job became so time-consuming, and left me so deflated that by the end of the day, I barely had any energy left to do the things I once enjoyed.

I stopped reading, writing, and taking care of my body. I kept telling myself that it was only temporary and I’d eventually get back into a positive routine, but it never happened. The truth was, I was too tired, burned out, and unmotivated from all the stress to keep up with the things that use to mean so much to me.

Your personal accomplishments have just as much value as your professional achievements, and it’s important to have a balance of both. If you’re professionally getting ahead, but personally falling behind, it’s time to take notice.

2. You Fantasize About Getting Fired or Quitting

For years, I secretly thought about quitting my job, before I actually resigned.

On my toughest days, I even imagined being fired for some inconsequential mistake. I thought of it as a healthy form of mental venting, but all I was really doing was refusing to admit to myself that I was in a situation I didn’t know how to get out of.

We all fantasize about literally and figuratively throwing off the work shackles and making a break for it. But when your constant daydreaming of getting fired or quitting, it may be time to move on.

3. You’ve Actually Hit ‘Send’ On an Angry Email to Your Boss

To say working for my last boss was tough, is an understatement.

In many cases, his poor handling of major work issues actually created more problems than it resolved. After receiving one particularly thoughtless email from him, I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I let my anger get the better of me, and before I knew it, I had hit the send button on an email I couldn’t get back.

At first, I felt relieved. I had finally spoke up and said what should have been said a long time ago. But it didn’t take long before my enthusiasm wore off and my anxiety kicked in. I was sure my boss would open my email, read it, head straight to my office and fire me on the spot. (Don’t worry, he didn’t).

We all think about telling our boss off, but most of us never actually do it.

If you have the dubious distinction of letting your boss have it, then you might not only hate your job, but your boss as well.

4. Your Promotion Feels Like a Demotion

I once was offered a promotion within the company that I was very reluctant to take.

Although my husband and colleagues encouraged me to, I wavered on signing the offer letter for days. On paper it looked like a great position, but I knew all the problems I would be inheriting by taking on the role.

In bad work environments, promotions can feel like demotions. You may get a better title and more money, but you also get more work and more stress.

If your professional step up has too many personal drawbacks, it may be a sign that the company isn’t a place of true growth.

5. “It’s Not My Job” Is Practically the Company Motto

A company’s culture is one of its most important assets.

If “it’s not my job” is a phrase you say, or hear others say almost weekly, it’s a sign of either one of two things.

One—your overworked and you know that by saying yes, you’ll be saddled with extra work you’ll never be able to get rid of, or two—the employees at your job are just so over it, that they really don’t care if the work gets done or not.

At some point in our careers, we all have to learn how to tactfully say no and set parameters, but when it’s clear the company culture no longer values helping one another, then there’s very little chance you’ll be able to get ahead and grow professionally there.

6. You Feel Sorry for New Hires

I remember the company once hired a candidate who was so enthusiastic when she first started.

She had a great attitude, a strong background, and a willingness to work hard. Within a few months, it was almost as if she was a totally different person. She seemed tired, rundown, and a mere shadow of the person she was when she was first hired. I truly felt bad for her, because I knew all too well how she felt.

When you don’t feel good about anything new happening at your job¾new hires, recent promotions, or new business deals, it can be a sign that your company is headed in a direction that you are not comfortable or interested in going.

7. It’s Negatively Impacting Your Personal Relationships

When left unexpressed, the frustration we experience day-to-day on the job, can leak into our personal lives in unseen ways.

All the pent-up anger I couldn’t express at work, I ended up unleashing at home, and it was intense. My husband was practically walking on eggshells around me, never wanting to ask how my day went, for fear it would send me into another tirade. It wasn’t until he told me that I was “always in a bad mood,” that I finally realized how miserable I was making everyone around me.

It’s normal to bring home a little stress from the office every now and then, but if your job is negatively affecting your personal relationships, it may be a sign that the stress you are experiencing has become too much.

8. Bad Employees Never Get Fired

When companies hold on to bad employees, it can be demoralizing for the entire staff.

I’ve seen toxic employees remain in their position for so long, it literally left me scratching my head in confusion. It became so blatantly obvious that no matter what they did (or didn’t do) they would never be fired, it turned into a regular office joke that there must be some secret conspiracy within the company to keep them employed.

Keeping on bad employees is the hallmark of ineffective management. It creates a toxic work environment by enabling bad behavior, and gives those who perform poorly little incentive to change.

9. The Company Brings in New Candidates Instead of Promoting from Within

 A company’s unwillingness to promote from within is a form of career sabotage.

It can make potential employers’ reluctant to hire you because you’ve spent so much time in the same position, and can also lead to you constantly being passed over time and time again.

The work you do has value and should be acknowledged through career advancement opportunities and monetary compensation. If your company is unwillingly to recognize and reward you for all you do to keep the place running smoothly, then it’s time to start looking for a place that will.

10. You’ve Started Asking Existential Questions Like—‘What Is the Purpose of It All?’

For many of us, our professional careers are tied to our purpose.

Whether you work for passion or for profit, our work identity plays a major role in who you are and how you view life. When your job has lost all meaning and value, it can cause you to lose sight of your way, why you are here, and where you are going. Worst of all, it can cause you to question your purpose in life as a whole.

If you’re constantly asking the universe if there is something more out there you could be doing, the answer is yes.

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It’s important that our jobs fulfill more than just our monetary needs. You don’t have to work in a field that is your passion, but you do deserve a healthy work-environment free of mean-spirited drama and unnecessary stress.

Trust me, it’s worth it to take an honest look at your work environment, not just from a professional, but from a personal level too.