Sainya at Work
The Bold Art of Owning Your Career and Refusing to Shrink
Some people climb the ladder. Others rebuild it entirely. Not out of ego, but because the old one was never made for them. This is for anyone who’s been told to wait, to play nice, or to settle. Sainya doesn’t settle.
Quiet Fire
Recently, a coworker asked about my new role. I told her I’m a principal at an architecture firm. She paused and said, “I’m not. I’m just an employee.”
That stuck with me. She has at least twice my experience, possibly more, and yet she doesn’t see herself as a leader. Why? Is it personality? Culture? Timing? I’ve been a principal for seven years, built and led my own firm, and honestly, I probably wouldn’t take anything less. It’s not arrogance. It’s clarity.
Sainya at Work
This is what Sainya looks like in a career. It’s not just about knowing your worth. It’s about actively defending it, even when people or entire systems try to downplay it. When someone tries to put you in a smaller box, you don’t just push back. You redesign the box.
You walk into a room like you belong, even if you just arrived. You speak up when others stay quiet, because you’ve done the work and you’re not here to pretend otherwise. You advocate for better pay, better titles, better benefits. Not because you’re difficult, but because you’ve outgrown survival mode.
Sainya is treating yourself the way senior leaders treat themselves. Even before someone hands you that title. It’s mentoring junior staff, not out of obligation, but because you know what it feels like to have no one showing the way. You become the example you wish you had.
It’s choosing innovation over obedience. Proposing fresh ideas, making bold decisions, taking creative risks. Life is too short to coast on approval.
It’s knowing how to walk away and when. A career chapter isn’t a final verdict. If something’s draining you, unaligned, or toxic, you can pivot. You are not stuck. You own your time, your talent, your direction.
Sainya is long-game thinking. You win some, you lose some, but every move counts. Even the setbacks are part of your strategy. The more you lose smartly, the more you’re set up to win with power and clarity.
Power Language
One of the fastest ways to live Sainya is to stop using words that shrink you. “Just an employee.” “I think maybe.” “Sorry to bother you.” The way you speak becomes the way you’re seen and the way you see yourself.
Swap uncertainty for precision. Clarity is magnetic. You don’t need to sound aggressive. You need to sound like someone who respects her own time.
Grace Over Guilt
Women especially are conditioned to feel guilty for wanting more. More freedom, more impact, more ease. Sainya lets you want what you want without apology. You’re not greedy. You’re clear. You’re not selfish. You’re self-aware.
Asking for a raise or a break or a title change shouldn’t feel rebellious. It should feel normal. Until it does, let it feel brave.
Energy as Currency
Your energy is one of your most precious resources. Who drains it? What depletes it? Where does it flow freely?
Living Sainya means treating your energy like a budget. Not everything and everyone gets access. Boundaries are how you protect your brilliance.
This Is How We Change Work
We were taught that power is something someone gives you. That if you stay quiet, work hard, and wait long enough, your turn will come.
That’s not leadership. That’s waiting in line for a life you never asked for.
Sainya isn’t loud or brash. It’s elegant, aware, unshakable. It’s the kind of boldness that doesn’t perform. It transforms.
You don’t need to ask for permission to lead your life. You already are.
“I didn’t follow the blueprint. I became the blueprint for what’s possible.”
—Vanessa Liu