My Story: There were long stretches when I didn’t have a job. The silence from applications was deafening. I felt like I was falling behind, especially when friends were getting promotions or buying homes. I tied my worth to my output—and when there was no output, I felt invisible. Eventually, I started asking myself: Who am I without the title? It was painful but liberating. I started separating my identity from productivity. Now, I hold space for others walking through that same fog.