You’re a Star!

I remember the first person who really saw my potential.

His name was Tony.

Tony wasn’t a VP.

Not a senior director.

Not some LinkedIn influencer with “Keynote Speaker” in his headline.

Tony worked at my local pizza place.

He wrote “YOU’RE A STAR!” on the lid of my pizza box one random Tuesday night when I was stress-eating my feelings after yet another rejection email.

Did he change my career trajectory?

No.

Did he fix my résumé, introduce me to a Fortune 500 CEO, or endorse my “cross-functional synergy” skills?

Absolutely not.

But did he change my night?

1000% yes.

That pizza box turned into a motivational poster at 2 a.m.

Me, standing in the kitchen, cold pizza in one hand, a sense of temporary cosmic importance in the other.

“Tony believes in me… maybe I am a star.”

We talk so much about mentors who “saw us before we saw ourselves.”

But honestly?

I’ve received more actual human encouragement from baristas who draw smiley faces in my latte foam and pizza guys who hype me up than from half the managers I’ve had.

Some of the best “performance reviews” I’ve ever gotten:

“Keep going, champ!” — DoorDash driver.

“You got this!” — barista with a Sharpie.

“Enjoy your order, legend!” — random sandwich shop.

Meanwhile, actual corporate feedback usually sounds like:

“We really appreciate your effort, but let’s revisit how we can streamline proactive deliverables to align with the Q4 vision map.”

Oh. Cool. I’ll get right on that after I finish translating it from corporate jargon into actual words.

We spend so much time waiting for big, shiny, official approval.

The tap on the shoulder from someone in a blazer.

The LinkedIn message from a big-name leader.

The title change on the org chart.

But sometimes, the most honest, pure support shows up in the form of a pizza box or a coffee cup.

We miss these moments because we’re too busy counting likes and re-reading job posts with impossible lists of “requirements” like they’re modern fairy tales.

We’re busy comparing our highlight reels to everyone else’s carefully curated content, wondering why we feel invisible.

But connection is everywhere.

It’s in the coworker who brings you an extra cookie because “you looked like you needed it today.”

It’s in the friend who listens to your meltdown voice note at midnight and replies with “You’re amazing. Also, drink some water.”

It’s in the pet that stares at you like you invented happiness every time you walk through the door.

We wait for huge life-changing gestures to tell us we matter.

But sometimes, all we need is a message scrawled in greasy Sharpie ink saying “YOU’RE A STAR!” to remind us we’re doing okay.

So today, if no one has told you yet:

You’re a star.

You’re crushing it.

You’re not just “resource #103” in someone’s budget spreadsheet.

You’re a whole pizza box moment waiting to happen.

If you feel invisible, remember:

Somewhere out there, someone thinks you’re magic.

Even if it’s Tony at the pizza place.

Or your dog.

Or your friend who keeps sending you memes because they know laughter is your love language.

Take a breath.

Eat the slice.

Save the box if you have to.

You’re more seen than you think.

More loved than you know.

And definitely more legendary than your corporate title suggests.

Now go forth and conquer.

Extra cheese and all.