This situation could have ended differently. I could have stayed silent, rationalizing that titles don’t matter as much as the work itself. But in reality, titles do matter—they impact career progression, industry perception, and future opportunities.

Instead of carving out a specific amount of time to reach one goal, I prefer to make daily choices that will put me in the position to choose between multiple opportunities that align with the future that I want for myself.

Last year, I decided enough was enough. I wanted to be outside again. I traveled alone, but I made sure to put myself in more social settings to get back in the hang of speaking to people again.