I can understand how overwhelming this situation must be for you. You are not dealing with just a difficult review meeting—you are simultaneously coping with grief after the loss of your mother, adjusting to a new job, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and communication pressure. Any one of these challenges can be difficult on its own; facing all of them together can significantly affect confidence and emotional well-being.
From what you've described, it seems that being questioned about schemes that were implemented before you joined, without adequate training or handover, left you feeling unprepared and exposed. Being asked to stand and answer questions publicly would be stressful for most people, especially when already carrying emotional exhaustion and grief. The fact that you became anxious and struggled to communicate under pressure does not mean you are incompetent—it reflects the impact of stress on your ability to think and respond in the moment.
Next Steps
Focus first on stabilizing your mental and emotional health rather than making an immediate career decision.
Address your grief, sleep difficulties, and anxiety, as these can significantly affect work performance and confidence.
Prepare for future reviews by documenting what information was and was not handed over to you, and identifying areas where you need training.
Practice structured responses and communication strategies to manage anxiety during meetings.
Consider professional counselling to work on grief, workplace anxiety, confidence, and stress management.
Health Tips
Avoid replaying the meeting repeatedly in your mind. This is a common anxiety response but usually increases distress rather than solving the problem.
Separate the event from your self-worth. One difficult meeting does not define your competence or future.
Write down the facts of the incident rather than the fears associated with it.
Focus on what is within your control: learning, preparation, communication, and emotional recovery.
Maintain regular sleep, meals, and physical activity as much as possible.
Important:
Try not to make a major decision about resigning or changing careers while you are in a state of acute stress, grief, and sleep deprivation. When emotions are highly activated, situations can appear more hopeless than they actually are. It is often better to regain some emotional stability first and then evaluate whether the job is genuinely a misfit or whether the current distress is being amplified by recent life events.