From Almost Successful to Rock Bottom, The Comeback of a Dishwasher.

From someone with a stable job and savings, almost a success story, this is the journey of a fool who trusted the wrong people and got caught up in direct sales.

Just a few years ago, I was working a stable job. I had monthly savings, a simple routine, and a quiet sense of pride that maybe, just maybe, I was on track to something good. I wasn’t rich, but I was building a future.

Then came the turning point.

A woman introduced me to a direct sales company. The products sounded amazing, the energy was contagious, and the promise of “financial freedom” was blinding. My upline, someone I trusted, kept encourage me to go full-time. They made quitting my job feel like the smart, courageous thing to do. I was told I had to burn the boats to succeed.

So I did. I quit my job. I went all in.

I poured in my time, my savings, and my heart. I attended every training, gave out free samples, bought motivational books. At first, the hope was strong. I believed I was finally doing something bold.

But slowly, cracks began to show.

People started avoiding me. Then one day, they casually suggested I should “go find a job again”—as if they hadn’t been the ones who told me to leave mine. I felt betrayed, like I had been used and discarded. The feeling was so intense, it felt like a personal vendetta.

But the downfall didn’t stop there.

Around that time, I also got involved with someone I thought was sincere. She showered me with compliments, made me feel important. But looking back, it was all calculated. She saw my willingness to give, and took advantage of it. When I had nothing left to give, she disappeared—without a word, without a trace.

As if that wasn’t enough, I got fired from a full-time job because of my “personality.” I was told I was too intense, too emotional, too blunt. Maybe they were right. Maybe I had become too bitter, too desperate. Either way, I found myself jobless, heartbroken, and broke.

My bank account hit zero. Then the credit card debt started piling up. I couldn’t pay my bills. I couldn’t even afford proper meals. I was 44, and it felt like my life was collapsing.

I applied to over a hundred jobs. Most didn’t reply. Some rejected me within hours. Eventually, I was offered a job washing dishes at a hotel. It pays much little than my full-time job, but I took it. Because I needed to start somewhere. I needed to breathe again.

Looking back, I realize that life isn’t always fair. Sometimes, the people you trust the most are the ones who hurt you the deepest. Sometimes, your biggest mistakes teach you the hardest lessons. But every failure is also a chance to start again.

It hasn’t been easy. There are days when I feel hopeless, when the weight of debt and rejection threatens to crush me. But I remind myself that success is not about never falling, but about rising every time you fall.

Writing my story is part of my healing. Sharing my journey helps me find purpose and connect with others who may feel lost or broken. I’m determined to turn my pain into power and my struggles into strength.

But I’m not giving up.

I may be scrubbing plates today, but I’m also writing my story. Not to complain—but to reclaim. I’m taking back the narrative. I know I messed up. I know I was naive. But I also know I’m not done.

This is the beginning of my comeback.

And I swear—I will succeed.

I write my original story in Chinese, with AI-assisted translation into English. Each chapter is a piece of my truth, a scar, and a step forward. Thank you for reading.