You are not your company or job.

It is easy to conflate a job or company with the good people you meet while you’re there. The truth is that culture is driven not by workers but by leaders. Leaving a job where you had meaningful connections can feel like tearing away a piece of yourself. I will miss my coworkers—their kindness, hard work, and camaraderie. But I won’t miss the leaders whose priorities lay in protecting their positions and chasing numbers, often at the expense of good people and good work.

Working alongside people who genuinely care can make even the most challenging days bearable. But when leadership fails to recognize or nurture that spirit, it becomes clear: your value is not tied to the job you do or the company name on your paycheck. It lies in the connections you build, the effort you give, and the integrity you carry with you when you decide to walk away.

Leaving doesn’t diminish the impact of those relationships—it just reinforces the importance of knowing when to separate yourself from a system that no longer aligns with your values. Moving on isn’t easy, but it opens space for a better future, one where leadership and culture match the kindness and effort of the people who matter most.