I had this colleague, Mary, who lived all the way out in Sango. Every day, she would wake up at 3 AM just to make it to our office on the island by 8 AM. It was a brutal commute—two hours in the morning, two hours at night. She wouldn’t get home until midnight, and the next day, she’d do it all over again. For three years, she did this without complaint. She was one of the hardest workers in the office, always the first to arrive and the last to leave.

But despite all her efforts, she was never recognized for her hard work. In fact, when a promotion opportunity came up, they passed her over in favor of someone who lived closer and had a less grueling commute. I could see the disappointment in her eyes, but she kept going, kept pushing through the exhaustion.

It wasn’t until she was passed over for another promotion that she finally had enough. She handed in her resignation and walked away without looking back. Her departure was a wake-up call for me. It made me realize that no matter how hard you work, if you’re not appreciated, it’s not worth it. Mary’s story taught me the importance of valuing myself and knowing when to walk away from a situation that doesn’t serve me.