I just took what I hope will be my final flight as a United 1K.
No more blue luggage tag. No more early boarding. No more chasing “status.”
For years, that title meant something to me. It signaled importance. Achievement. Proof that I was flying all over the world, doing big things. To my inner achiever, it was irresistible—like a badge that whispered, “Look how important you are.” And United made sure it felt that way. The perks, the marketing, the priority lanes—it was all designed to keep me hooked.
And it worked. For a long time.
But the hidden cost? It was steep.
Every year I held that shiny status, I quietly gave up time and presence in areas that mattered far more:
- Connection with my daughter, my husband, my friends
- Family dinners, birthday parties, meaningful milestones
- Play, rest, movement, and just… space to breathe
I became great at enduring. At convincing myself the trade-off was worth it. At overriding my own needs in the name of progress.
Until it wasn’t.
Eventually, a new vision started to take shape:
A business on my terms.
Travel when I want to travel.
A life aligned to my values—not someone else’s reward system.
And once I got clear on what that looked like, it was surprisingly easy to let go of the story that kept me chasing miles and upgrades.
Travel looks different now.
I pause in the security line. Sometimes I even check a bag (gasp!). I don’t race to the gate or speed-walk past people in the terminal. I board when it’s my turn and sit in whatever seat I was given.
And I still get where I’m going—on time, and with a whole lot more ease.
Letting go of the “status” I thought made me valuable gave me the freedom to build a life that actually is.
