Can't live down past mistakes from seven years ago

[Anonymous]

I have been at my current job for seven years now. About six years ago, I almost lost my job because I was making too many mistakes at my retail job. I accidently forgot prices changes, miscounted the drawer where it was over by $1, and tried to go after a shoplifter. Quite frankly, I was overworked. My boss would get furious with me and wouldn’t speak to me for weeks. I think the only reason I did not get fired was because I am such a hard worker. I put out huge amounts of work and haven't done any major blunders like that.

But I feel like this “mistake period” has ruined my reputation because I still work with all those same people and they remember. This past “mistake cloud” still hangs over my head. And now every time everyone sees me, my past is relived in my boss’s eyes. I also know that my boss tells every new person that comes to work here about my past mistakes. How should I handle this past period in my career? I want to do something to stop the power it continues to inflict upon me. Should I bring it up and talk about it openly whereby dissipating its power? Or just continue as I have been hoping everyone eventually forgets as I prove myself with my current performance?

[Anonymous]

Can you just start applying at new places and start fresh?

[Anonymous]

Sounds fake but find a new job.

[Anonymous]

You have this much anguish over a retail job?

Oh, honey.

[Anonymous]

Those are not big mistakes. They forgot about them. If you are a real person, it's your anxiety talking.
It's ok to change retail jobs if you need a new start.

[Anonymous]

I think it's time to move to a new job.

[Anonymous]

It's a retail job. Just get a new one.

[Anonymous]

You're right that people won't forget, but they don't care like you think they do. Your boss isn't thinking about it every time he sees you or he WOULD have fired you by now. This your anxiety or your own issues with self worth talking.

[Anonymous]

It's several years past the time where you needed to find a new job OP.

It's a retail job, not rocket science, and if your coworkers and boss are making this big a deal about mistakes from 7 years ago, you need a new workplace. Otherwise , decide you don't care so much at work.