Gemotions

Sarah, fresh from a long weekend, swung open the office door with a newfound lightness. The prospect of the promotion hung in the air, but unlike the usual knot of dread that accompanied such thoughts, she felt a strange, quiet contentment.

She greeted her colleagues with genuine warmth, actually listening to their morning chatter instead of mentally rehearsing her strategy. The paperwork that usually filled her with a sense of dread now seemed like a set of puzzles, begging to be solved. She felt a surge of energy.

She noticed her competitor, Mark, at his desk, looking stressed, and felt a pang of sympathy. But it didn't last. She felt a resolve, a quiet strength. She had done her best, and that was all she could do.