Hi Ria and everyone, I'm Nikhil, based in New Delhi, with over a decade in software. I've been through layoffs before, but this time I chose to leave. The reason: constant pressure and no mental space to exist beyond work. I usually clocked 9 hours at the office, but my mind stayed at work for 15. Anxiety episodes, sleepless nights, shrinking confidence, and a growing aversion to something I'd once enjoyed. What made the call harder — I had a stable job, decent income, and was a few years away from hitting my FIRE number. But I left anyway. I'm currently serving my notice period, using this time to decompress, slow down, and figure out what comes next. I'm here to learn — the what, the why, and the how of building something outside the conventional path. Outside work, I read, write fiction, garden, compost, travel, and hike. Also attempting to learn an instrument (currently on pause, but not abandoned).