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Era

Everybody’s talking about their era these days. That’s cute. Eras are just seasons. They pass.

But me?

I’ve been thinking about eras… and periods of time.


And periods? Those get remembered. Studied. Named in the history books.

The Jurassic Period. The Renaissance Period.

The You Tried Me for the Last Time Period.


I went through my Let Them era.


I let them.

Thank you, Mel Robbins, for this.

I didn’t know how much I needed to let them.


I let them talk about me.

I let them doubt me.

I let them take my energy.

I let them and now I need to let me.


So is this a new era?

No.

Because this isn’t just a period of time this is my time.

This is my Periodt. Period.


Not just a phase.

Not just an era.

A full stop. A line drawn.

An unshakable boundary that says, This is where I stand, and I’m not moving.


No more fuzzy boundaries Periodt.

No more unchecked micro aggressions Periodt.

I have already let them, so now I’m here to remind them who I am Periodt.

My peace is non-negotiable Periodt.


I am no longer the team’s unofficial Office Comfort Coordinator. I am not here to preface every truth with a sugar cube, or to take on emotional bubble wrapping as a core responsibility. I am not adjusting my tone so you can receive feedback without feeling the sting of reality.


Here’s the thing about boundaries they are not up for peer review. They’re not a group project. They are, by design, selfish in the best possible way. My boundaries are not a punishment they are protection. Protection of my peace, my focus, my mental bandwidth, and yes, even my ability to still care about the work.


And let’s talk about that for a second because peace is not a luxury in the workplace, it’s fuel. You cannot show up with creativity, clarity, or leadership if you are constantly being drained by “Can you just…” requests that aren’t in your scope.


Not anymore.


The truth is, a lot of us especially those of us who are naturally empathetic, solution-oriented, and dependable have been conditioned to believe that the work is only good if everyone feels good. But that’s not the job. The job is to perform your role well, not to manage the emotional weather patterns of your coworkers.


Oh, and speaking of showing up for yourself  I had a leader tell me “this year, I want you to put your mask on first. You can’t help others if you can’t breathe.”


Wait what???


Periodt.


So, here’s my new policy

I will meet my deadlines, not your unspoken expectations Periodt.

I will protect my peace like it’s part of my benefits package Periodt.

I will help you grow, but not at the cost of my own growth Periodt.

I will not be guilted into over functioning just because I’m capable Periodt.

I will say “No” in full sentences, without an essay of justification Periodt.


And yes I am fully aware that setting these boundaries will make some people uncomfortable. That’s not a side effect, that’s a sign it’s working. Boundaries are not built for the people who respect them, they are built for the ones who try to test them.


So if you think I’ve changed, you’re right. If you think I’m colder, maybe. If you think I’m not as available as I used to be congratulations, you’re paying attention.


This isn’t me being mean. This is me being done with pretending that my role at work is to make everyone else’s role easier while mine gets heavier.


You can call it selfish. I call it sustainable. I said what I said.


My Periodt. Period


ღ Chi


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