The shock fades faster than people think. Not because you suddenly feel better, but because your brain realizes it can’t stay in freefall forever. Stabilization isn’t graceful. It’s not peaceful. It’s the point where you stop spiraling long enough to put your feet on the ground and say, “I have to handle this.” Not “I can.” Not “I’m ready.” Just “I have to.” DoorDash, Survival Mode, and the First Look at Control The very first thing that helped me feel even a sliver of contro

I didn’t expect the call. I mean, part of me did. The weeks leading up to it had been tense. My manager and I were no longer aligned. Our 1:1s had become increasingly difficult and unproductive, and even when I walked him through my work in detail, the conversations felt circular. It often seemed like expectations were shifting without context, and no matter how clearly I demonstrated progress, something wasn’t connecting. It left me with a quiet sense that something was comi