Why I Spoke Up Against My Friend's Decision To Quit Her Job

I have a friend named Sarah who has been in her current job for about four years. She started at a small company and worked hard to move up the ranks, but lately she’s been feeling burnt out from long hours and minimal recognition. A couple of weeks ago, I went over to her place, and she was looking through job applications while we were hanging out. "I think I’m going to quit," she said. I could hear the stress in her voice as she scrolled through different opportunities. It’s hard for me not to take that personally because our lives are intertwined, I've known Sarah since college and have watched her grow from a student into a professional woman with kids. As we chatted more, I found myself arguing against her decision. I tried reasoning with her, telling her about the benefits she would lose by leaving, the potential instability of finding new employment, especially during this market downturn. It felt like a protective response rather than something constructive to say. By the end of our conversation, Sarah was frustrated and didn’t seem any closer to deciding what to do next. The more I thought about it afterward, the more I realized that my intervention may have been inappropriate or overly intrusive into her personal business. While my intentions were likely rooted in wanting to help a friend avoid making a rash decision, it dawned on me that maybe all Sarah needed was someone to listen without judgment instead of advice. So here’s what I’m wondering: Am I the asshole for trying to talk her out of quitting? Or is this kind of protective reaction from long-term friends normal and expected when seeing them in distress? The whole situation left me feeling conflicted, like an overprotective parent who wants everything to be perfect for their child. What do you all think? Do I need to step back more next time someone close to me faces a major life decision?