When the Door Finally Opens
10 Feb 2026
For a long time, I wasn’t sure when—or if—I would be able to write this.
After almost nine years with my current employer, I am stepping into a new chapter. I’m not ready to share where I’m going just yet, but what I can say is this: the decision feels right. The timing feels intentional. And the sense of relief I feel tells me everything I need to know.
I didn’t arrive at this moment easily.
Professionally, I was starting to feel worn down. Defeated, even. When you give so much of yourself—your time, your intellect, your energy—it’s easy to forget that growth sometimes requires movement. Staying can be comfortable. Leaving requires courage. And yet, sometimes the universe nudges you forward precisely when you’re questioning yourself the most.
This new venture arrived at exactly that moment.
On a personal level, life continues to remind me that clarity doesn’t always come wrapped in calm. Ongoing legal matters remain unresolved, and there are still external influences that complicate what should be straightforward processes. I’ve learned to stay measured, factual, and focused on resolution rather than reaction. Peace, I’m learning, is often protected through restraint.
Emotionally, I’ve also reached a line I can no longer ignore.
I’ve spent too long being the place others come to feel reassured, validated, comforted—while my own needs sat quietly on the sidelines. I’ve listened to explanations that don’t align with actions. I’ve watched patterns repeat themselves while being told change was “coming soon.” And I’ve realized that words without follow-through aren’t hope—they’re noise.
What I know now is simple, but powerful:
I deserve consistency.
I deserve emotional availability.
I deserve to be chosen, not postponed.
I’m no longer interested in being someone’s emotional safety net while they sort out feelings they aren’t ready to release. I’m tired of carrying weight that was never meant to be mine. And I’m finally honoring the truth that self-respect sometimes means stepping back—even when it’s uncomfortable.
This season isn’t about anger.
It’s about awareness.
It’s about choosing myself without apology.
There is something incredibly freeing about realizing you don’t have to keep explaining why something hurts. You don’t have to justify your boundaries. You don’t have to stay in spaces that require you to shrink.
This chapter is about movement—forward, upward, and inward.
And for the first time in a long while, I feel aligned.
Reflection Prompt:
Where in your life are you still waiting for actions to catch up with words—and what would it look like to stop waiting?
Spotify Pairing: I Am Not Okay — Jelly Roll
https://open.spotify.com/search/i%20am%20not%20okay%20jelly%20roll
Some seasons aren’t about pretending you’re fine. They’re about choosing yourself anyway.
All my love,
Stacey
