I’ve learned that when office politics turn ugly, the best armour you can have is a paper trail. I log everything — every request, every agreement, every shift in priorities. If it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen. Period.

And I stopped chasing being liked. I started focusing on being respected. That shift changed the game for me. It stopped me from burning out trying to win over people who were never going to be in my corner, and it saved my mental health more times than I can count.

Trust your work, document your conversations, and stand tall in your worth. You can’t control the politics, but you can control how you show up.