I wore my name badge without shortening my name

Dear Delyara, My name is long and often mispronounced. For years, I introduced myself using a shorter English version because I was tired of watching people struggle. I told myself it was practical. Eventually, I realized I had not heard my real name in the workplace for nearly a decade. When I started a new job, HR automatically asked whether I had a preferred shorter name. I said no. My badge arrived with my full name. On the first day, colleagues stumbled. I corrected them politely. One asked if she could call me something easier. I said, “You can call me by my name.” My heart was beating harder than the conversation deserved. She apologized and learned it by the end of the week. Self-esteem has not made pronunciation errors stop. It has made me less willing to solve other people’s discomfort by editing myself before they try.