In my early fifties, I realized that every decade of my life begins with something new. One decade was spent in a laboratory. The next two in marketing and sales within a demanding industry that completely consumes you. It gives you dynamics, adrenaline, and a sense of importance, while slowly wearing you down at the same time.
And that is why, after all these years, peace has become my greatest luxury. Sometimes it is difficult to explain to people why, after so many meetings, conversations, and events, you no longer crave more socializing, but simply want to come home and be alone with yourself. Some of us recharge our batteries in the quietness of our own home. I need that silence to hear myself again.
After many years in the same company, I decided to leave. And when I say work, I do not mean just a job. I built something. I built systems, relationships, teams, and trust. I gave myself completely - because I was raised to believe that if you do something, you should do it properly or not start at all. It was never difficult for me to give my maximum, even when I was building something that was not truly mine. But for the first time in my life, I felt the need to create something for myself.
Today, I find myself in a transition period. I am still at my current job, everyone knows I am leaving, and people’s reactions have genuinely touched me. So many messages, calls, emails, and warm words. I was not even aware of how much I meant to the people I worked with over the years. What surprised me the most was not only the messages and kind words, but the conversations that followed. Some members of my team started talking about leaving too. A few even came to me with the idea of building something together one day. Others quietly asked where I was going, hoping they could apply there as well.
And honestly, that has been one of the hardest parts for me. Because after years of working together, people stop being just colleagues. You grow attached to them, you protect them, you carry responsibilities together. Leaving a company is one thing. Leaving people you genuinely care about is something entirely different. In the end, the greatest legacy we leave behind is never projects or numbers. The real impact we leave is in people.
The owner is still struggling to accept my departure. Some people, when hurt by the loss of someone they have relied on for years, react in ways that reveal more about their pain than their maturity. He will need time.
And the business? The business will continue. It always does. No one is irreplaceable, and that is true. But it is also not entirely true. Positions can be filled, but energy, responsibility, work ethic, and everything a person has carried for years cannot easily be replaced. Sometimes, behind one person, there is actually the work of several people.
And I have no regrets. All of it was a valuable lesson that shaped me and enriched me with a profound life experience. Perhaps the most important lesson of all is this: I never again want to work in a way that makes me forget myself.
Today, I feel both fear and excitement about this new chapter. In my fifties, I decided to create something of my own. And for the first time in a long time, I feel that the energy I invest is finally being returned to me.
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