Gemotions

The promotion had gone to the other candidate, and the subsequent "congratulations" from his boss felt insincere. He retreated to his desk, the vibrant office landscape suddenly muted and gray. He felt a sharp pang of disappointment, swiftly followed by a sense of justification. Deep down, he’d known he wasn't good enough.

He replayed the interview in his mind, cataloging the stumbles, the hesitant answers, the times he failed to articulate his ideas with confidence. He found himself picking at the skin around his fingernails, a habit he hadn’t indulged in since his childhood.

Later that evening, he cancelled on his friends and ordered takeout. He felt a profound sense of isolation, a belief that he was the only one who didn’t understand how the world worked.