Quiet Quiting Me

Verse 1

December ten, two thousand twenty-five

Ten years of showing up, ten years of staying alive

Through the fever, through the doubts, through the weight nobody claimed

I carried every burden, even when no one knew my name

Pre-Chorus

I thought the secret to moving up

Was saying yes to every load

But the truth hits hard when you realize

You’ve been walking a one-way road

Chorus

’Cause I was there when the world stood still

Reporting in when fear was real

A quiet soldier in a storm that no one chose

I held the line in the cold and rain

Worked holidays through grief and pain

But when the dust had settled, what did I get in return?

Just a paper on my wall, and a lesson deep and tall—

The system doesn’t always see the fire you hold

So I’m learning now to give just what’s owed

As I walk into the next decade.

Verse 2

I’ve watched the new ones rise with ease

Like the wind just carried them where I’ve crawled on my knees

And I wonder where dedication stands

In a world run by politics and unspoken plans

Pre-Chorus

So I’m stepping back from the extra miles

No more bleeding just to smile

I’ll work with heart but guard my peace

Give what’s fair and find release

Chorus

’Cause I was there when the world stood still

Reporting in when fear was real

A quiet soldier in a storm that no one chose

I held the line in the cold and rain

Worked holidays through grief and pain

But when the dust had settled, what did I get in return?

Just a paper on my wall, and a truth I can’t ignore—

The fire dims when it’s left out in the cold

So I’m learning now to give just what’s owed

As I walk into the next decade.

Bridge

Maybe a few more years, then I’ll take my rest

Find the peace I’ve earned, give my tired heart its best

Maybe early days of freedom, maybe dreams I’ve set aside

A life beyond this desk, a place where purpose can finally rise

Breakdown

And yet I look ahead and wonder

Will the road be kind or pull me under?

Will this quiet perseverance

Ever get its due?

I don’t know…

Only time knows the truth.

Final Chorus

But I was there when the world stood still

And I know my heart, I always will

Show up for myself the way I once did for them

No more shadows, no more strain

Just honest work and steady flame

And maybe someday the universe will finally unfold

A reward for a heart that stayed brave and bold

As I walk into the next decade—

With a quieter fire, but a stronger soul.

Outro

December ten, ten years long…

What comes next is still unwritten—

But this time,

I’m choosing me.