4 years ago, I hit a low point in my career. Looking back, I had been heading there for a while. I just couldn’t see it yet. I had spent years striving, proving myself, chasing promotions, trying to “make it”… while ignoring a deeper truth: I needed something more. The confusing part was that there wasn’t anything technically wrong at work. There were parts of my job I genuinely liked. A big one being the paycheck and all of the amazing luxuries that it afforded me—the trips,

For years, I felt bad every day before, during, and after work. I’m talking about intense anxiety. A constant fear that I was going to get fired. This underlying sense that I couldn’t trust the people around me. And the confusing part was… nothing was actually happening. I remember one morning really noticing it. I was getting ready for work and I stopped and thought, Why do I feel like this? There were a few people who came to mind as triggers, but if I was being honest, not

Let’s be honest, most performance reviews are a missed opportunity. You’re told you’re doing a great job. That you’re “valued” and “dependable.” Maybe even that you’re “essential to the team.” But somehow, none of that translates into recognition. It rarely comes with a promotion, an invitation to work on the cool, new project, or even a clear career path. And it’s not because your work isn’t strong. It’s because your impact isn’t visible in the way leadership needs to see it