This Saturday was the final day for one of our longer-term merchandisers. Though only part time, he had been with the store for over five years, while his full time job was as a site leader for an aircraft detail company. This year, he voiced his desire to leave due to managerial issues and inconsistencies–my words, not his–and was open to working at the store full time, despite the deduction in pay, as he was not only a great merchandiser, but also an informative salesman.

Now lets rewind about a year and a half ago. Our store recruited a new cashier/merchandiser: a younger college grad with a degree from the University of Cincinnati. Though a nice enough individual, his work ethic left much to be desired, from consistent inaccuracies on web orders and pull lists to vocally refusing to perform the easiest of tasks. My favorite example is when I found him on one of the ladders, his gaze focused on his phone resting on the shelf overhead. I asked what he was up to, and his reply was that he was doing a drop-and-fill, his eyes never leaving It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on his phone. When I requested a manager to intervene, he went further by stating that he was making St. Patrick’s Day plans, a second lie in less than five minutes.

During both situations, I myself continue to seek a new career path with little-to-no success, despite my November promotion and recent training.

For the young grad, he eventually accepted a position with a federal government contracting firm (I won’t list which), even after admitting that he enjoys weed. This news followed an influx of rejections for positions I applied for, and my boss at the time recognized my reaction to the news.

For our colleague who just left, his company went over and beyond by creating a position requiring him to return home in Michigan. I shook his hand.

I won’t post any studies, how-to pieces or any article addressing employment envy here. I can only go off my own experience dealing with it since graduating during the Great Recession.

There will always be moments where, no matter how hard you work or how hard you try, it will seem to be enough to impress. Those around you from all backgrounds, expertise or occupations will seem to reap either the rewards for hard work or the benefit of the doubt, and it may be like that for a very long time.

What matters, though, is how you embrace your own reaction. You could let your emotions get the best of you and risk it affecting your work, or you could roll with the punch and come out smiling. Will you use that anger as a driving force to do better at your job while boosting efforts towards your next move? Or will you practice humility and wish the departing colleagues the best of luck?

Why not both?