Have you ever stayed in something long after it stopped feeling right—because leaving felt like failure?

In this episode of Unlearning Out Loud, Kat reflects on the deeply ingrained belief that walking away means giving up. The kind of belief shaped by hustle culture, childhood narratives, and the pressure to prove strength through endurance—even when the cost is your peace, health, or sense of self.

Through personal stories and the experience of a close friend, Kat explores how staying too long can quietly turn into self-abandonment, and how choosing to leave can actually be an act of clarity, growth, and self-respect.

This episode gently unpacks:

• Why we confuse persistence with worth

• How hustle culture glorified struggle and demonized rest

• The difference between resilience and self-neglect

• How walking away can be a recalibration—not a failure

• And why choosing yourself doesn’t make you weak—it makes you honest

If you’re in a season where you’re afraid to leave a job, a role, a relationship, a dream, or even an old version of yourself, this episode is a soft reminder: sometimes walking away isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of returning to yourself.

Take what you need. Leave the rest.
You’re allowed to choose the life that feels like home.

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