I walked away from a stable business career—benefits, salary, the whole package—to chase a dream most people file under unrealistic: acting. For over a decade, I waited tables, studied the craft, performed in tiny theaters, did a few commercials, and even appeared in several indie films. I never made it past curb level in Hollywood, but I don’t regret a second of it. Because in those years, I learned more about being human—raw, vulnerable, resilient—than any office could have taught me.