I’m still here. And I Matter.

To all the employed, unemployed, funemployed, self-employed, underemployed, and “somehow mysteriously employed but still confused how” folks out there — this one’s for you.

Let’s talk about this wild ride we’re all on. The one where you promise yourself you’ll wake up and be productive, update that résumé, maybe do a little yoga. Next thing you know, it’s 2 p.m., you’re still in pajamas, and you’ve watched 19 TikToks about how to organize your spice rack according to your zodiac sign.

Then you open LinkedIn. And boom. Someone’s posting: “I just closed a $5 million deal before sunrise, ran an ultramarathon backward, fostered 12 puppies, and invented a sustainable alternative to air. Feeling blessed!” Meanwhile, you’re just proud you remembered to put the laundry in the dryer before it started smelling like swamp water.

Or the classic networking advice: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know!” Oh, cool. Let me just call my bestie Oprah real quick to see if she’ll endorse me.

And let’s not forget the job descriptions: “We’re looking for a rockstar unicorn ninja who can juggle flaming swords while driving cross-functional synergy and pivoting on a skateboard. Entry level. $12 an hour. Must have 47 years of experience.”

Then come the interviews. You rehearse your answers so many times you start to wonder if your greatest weakness really is that you can’t stop binge-watching 90s sitcoms. You finish the call thinking you nailed it. You even send that thank-you email with a tasteful sprinkle of exclamation points so you seem enthusiastic but not unhinged. And then… silence.

You refresh your inbox so often you consider adding “Professional Email Refresher” to your résumé. You start to think the company relocated to a remote island just to avoid telling you no.

And the rejection emails? “While your background is impressive, we’ve decided to pursue other candidates.” Translation: “We actually had no idea what we wanted and just enjoyed collecting résumés like Pokémon cards.”

Yet here we are. Still showing up. Still hitting “apply.” Still telling ourselves, “This is all character development for the book deal one day.” And you know what? It is. One day you’ll be the main character at a dinner party telling hilarious stories about the weirdest job posting you ever saw or the time you accidentally attached your grocery list instead of your cover letter.

So if today feels like a win, a loss, or just a big bowl of “meh,” remember — you’re not alone. We’re all out here fighting the same inbox dragons, cheering each other on, and wondering if “Open to Work” should really just say “Open to Snacks and Emotional Support.”

Keep going, you absolute legend. Your worth isn’t in your title, your salary, or your follower count. It’s in your weird jokes, your late-night thoughts, and your unstoppable heart.

Now go conquer the day — or at least your laundry pile.