The Rules They Never Told
The Rules They Never Told
The fine print no one explained about “doing everything right”
Lonnie’s story isn’t about one bad day at work. It’s about the slow realization that the rules she grew up believing in don’t work the way she was told they would. Do the work. Stay humble. Keep your head down. Eventually, it will pay off. Except… sometimes it doesn’t. This chapter of the Prelude to Intelligent Rebellion follows Lonnie as she bumps into the invisible rules of modern work culture. The ones no one teaches you in school, but everyone expects you to obey. As she moves through disappointment, doubt, and possibility, we start to see the quiet tension between hustle culture and a different way of living that’s unfolding in Sasstopia.
Lonnie speaks to her husband as she gets ready for work.
Getting Ready for Work
Lonnie starts her day the way she always does, steady, prepared, and hopeful. She carries the emotional weight of her work with her, even before she leaves the house. This moment sets the tone for the invisible labor she performs every day, supporting others while quietly questioning whether her own efforts will ever be fully seen or rewarded.
Link : Morning, honey. You feeling good? You know you got that role. I can feel it.
Lonnie: Morning. I don’t know…I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m the one they turn to when the hardest calls come into the Mindset Center every day, but that doesn’t always seem like it counts.
Link: You literally talk people off the ledge about building better mindsets about money, especially after they got themselves into crazy debt trying to flex.
Lonnie: Yeah. I take calls from folks panicking about bills, debt, feeling like they messed up their whole lives. I help them breathe. Reframe. Make a plan.
Link: And you’re amazing at it.
Lonnie: Awww, you always hype me up. But I don’t do the part where I hype myself up in meetings and play politics. I don’t come in bragging about every little accomplishment. That seems to count. I just… do the work. I feel like we grew up thinking if you stayed solid and worked hard, it would add up to something secure.
Link: And now?
Lonnie: Now I’m not sure hard work is the currency anymore.
Link: Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. You don’t have to carry this by yourself.
Lonnie: I appreciate you, love. Have a good day.
Mary Lou speaks to Lonnie about her promotion.
The Promotion Meeting
This is the moment the illusion cracks. Lonnie is forced to confront the unspoken rules of advancement when her work, leadership, and dedication are outweighed by proximity to power. What she thought was a merit-based system suddenly feels like a performance stage she was never trained to play on.
Lonnie: Hi Mary Lou, you wanted to see me?
Mary Lou: Okay, I’ll be honest with you. We went with Evan for the manager role.
Lonnie: …Evan? Wait! I trained Evan.
Mary Lou: He brings fresh leadership energy.
Lonnie: Really, Lou? His aunt is the CFO.
Mary Lou: Well…ummm…you know…that didn’t hurt.
Lonnie: So, help me understand. I run the hardest mindset calls. I mentor new hires. I built the money-mindset scripts you all still use. And that’s still not good enough?
Mary Lou: It’s exceptional and that’s exactly why we need you where you are.
Lonnie: So, I’m too valuable to promote? Got it. Well, thanks for the update.
Mary Lou: Your time will come.
Lonnie: When? When you retire?
Mary Lou: Look, Lonnie, I don’t make the rules. This is just the way it is. Work hard and eventually you will be rewarded for all your efforts.
Lonnie: They missed that part of the education in college. I wonder why? We were told to do well, get internships, work hard. They missed the part where you do those things and you still may not achieve your goals. Or you’ll be passed up because of nepotism. Where was that lesson supposed to be learned?
Mary Lou: I guess you are learning it now.
Lonnie visits Sasstopia to have dinner with CJ and Roz.
Dinner in Sasstopia
In Sasstopia, Lonnie gets her first real glimpse of a different rhythm of life. Her friends aren’t exhausted, frantic, or measuring their worth by how busy they look. Instead of selling hustle as ambition, they model ease as a value. It’s not perfect or magical, but it’s honest. And for the first time, Lonnie wonders if the grind she’s been loyal to is even hers to carry.
Rebel Roz: Hey Lonnie! Thanks for coming to Sasstopia this time. Wait. You look like somebody stole your joy and didn’t even apologize.
Lonnie: I didn’t get the promotion.
CJ: Let me guess. You’re too good to promote?
Lonnie: I feel like I’ve been doing life on hard mode for so long with very little to show for it.
Rebel Roz: Honestly, that’s why we made the move to Sasstopia.
Lonnie: I mean, it’s cute or whatever, but you really like it here that much?
CJ: I mean… yeah! Look around. We don’t do the grind here. No one side-eyes us for leaving work on time. Free rest pods at the transit stations. Therapy credits. Financial wellness built into your benefits. Who wouldn’t want that?
Lonnie: That sounds unrealistic. There has to be a catch.
Rebel Roz: There is. The catch is mindset. It definitely felt fake at first. Then we realized we weren’t constantly tired anymore. Sometimes, you actually can believe the hype. You should know that more than us. You work on helping people change their mindset! Speaking of, our neighbor that works at Sasstopia’s Mindset Center is hiring for some new roles. Want us to recommend you?
Lonnie: It’s not what you know, but who you know, right? I’m just scared it’ll just be the same thing somewhere else.
CJ: Maybe. But here, nobody performs work, acts constantly busy or pretends that exhaustion is a badge of honor. Your skillset is actually valued.
Rebel Roz: And nobody sells burnout as ambition.
Lonnie: I don’t even know what I’m chasing anymore. But what do I have to lose, right?
CJ: Right! And maybe you’re ready to stop chasing and start choosing.
Lonnie: I see what you did there! You tried the mindset methodology on me. Clever!
Lonnie gives her husband an update about a potential new job opportunity.
The Quit (Almost)
Lonnie stands at the edge of a decision she’s been circling for years. This moment captures the quiet bravery it takes to stop waiting for permission. The contrast between her current workplace and the possibilities unfolding in Sasstopia makes the choice feel less reckless and more like an act of self-trust.
Lonnie: Sooooo…they offered me the job at the Mindset Center in Sasstopia.”
Link: Wow! That was fast!! I thought it would take months like most places. So… what’s the role since we didn’t really talk in detail about it?
Lonnie: I’d still do mindset work, but I’d lead a small team focused just on money stress and financial confidence. No sales pressure. No pretending every problem is just ‘positive thinking.’ Real tools.
Link: That sounds like… what you already do, but more. I dig it.
Lonnie: That’s what it feels like.
Link: So, does this new job come with a move closer to Sasstopia? What is it about an hour away? Not far, but also, do you really want to make that long commute everyday?
Lonnie: Sooooo…I was thinking…maybe not Sasstopia directly, but Swaggyville County? There are so many cute places that are minutes away. Besides, I highly doubt you want to tell people you live in Sasstopia.
Link: You don’t have to say a word. I work remote. So, if you want to move, we’ll make it work. I’m not married to this city. I’m married to you.
Lonnie: Then, Swaggyville, here we come.
Later, at work.
Lonnie: Mary Lou do you have a minute? I wanted to talk…
Mary Lou: Perfect timing. I need you to cover two extra lines today, rewrite the onboarding script, and sit in on Evan’s leadership training later. He’s still getting his footing.
Lonnie: Oh… okay.
Mary Lou: And we might need you late. You know how things pile up.
Lonnie: Actually… that’s what I wanted to talk about.
Mary Lou: Well, can you make it quick? This work isn’t going to do itself.
Lonnie: I was offered a job in Sasstopia and…I accepted it.
Mary Lou: Sasstopia? I hear that they are doing some interesting things there, but Lonnie, I thought you’d wait?
Lonnie: I’ve been waiting my whole career. The wait is over.
Lonnie’s story isn’t about escaping work. It’s about refusing to keep playing a game where the rules are hidden and the rewards are selective. This chapter asks a bigger question than whether to stay or leave a job. It asks what it means to choose yourself in a system that teaches you to wait your turn, perform gratitude, and accept being overlooked as the cost of stability. The Intelligent Rebellion doesn’t start with a dramatic exit. It starts with noticing the mismatch between what you were promised and what you’re actually living. And then deciding that maybe the rules they never told you… don’t get to run your life anymore. Ready to create new rules for life and success? Download the Rules Inherited vs. Rules You Choose worksheet to reflect on rules you want to rewrite.
Curious about the story behind the story? Check out my Substack, Hustle Rewritten, where I share personal insights and commentary on the many ways that we can rewrite the rules to how we show up in life, career and business. Explore the world of Sassy | Chic | Geek, check out our content here on Substack, on YouTube for our Prelude to Intelligent Rebellion series and Pinterest. We occasionally post on IG , Facebook and Threads.