Everyone around me says I’ve made it—tenure, a house, a good life. But inside the system I work in, I’m told—explicitly and implicitly—that I don’t count. That I’m invisible. That I’m failing.

Why? Because I didn’t play the game the way I was supposed to. I didn’t chase citations or prestige. I chased joy. Stability. Meaning. Love.

This isn’t just my story—it’s a quiet rebellion against a broken definition of success. If you’ve ever felt like you were doing all the right things, but still being told you’re wrong… you’re not alone.

This is a message for everyone who’s ever whispered, “What if success isn’t what they say it is?”

Take care.