She asked people whose opinions she respected what they could imagine her doing next. Some offered thoughtful reflections. But many could only point to more of what she had already done. That hurt. I don’t think that they were being unkind or wrong. It hurt maybe because she was not really asking for a job […]
I thought I had the clarity, until I had to explain it. I sat down to submit it as there was no more time to postpone. But the ideas that I assumed would come easily … didn’t. It was an application for a one week residential program from the online course I was taking. It
The meeting is about to finish. The usuals are already covered. Progress. Next steps. Then your manager shared the news with excitement. “We would like you to fill the senior role in our team. I cannot think of a more capable person than you.” She went on to say that it took her a long
You finally have a bit of time for yourself. It is meant to make some progress on a personal project that matters. Online resources become the place to start – webinars, courses, research, articles about professional development. Where do you even begin? Again. Another bookmark for later. A brief pause and a look at your
When trying to understand myself better, most of my earlier reflections relied heavily on thinking. I would analyze situations, form a narrative about what was happening, and explain to myself why something made sense. And often that felt sufficient. I still value rational thinking. It gives perspective and structure. But when it comes to understanding
In this first reflective nudge, it feels appropriate to talk about reflection itself. I started journaling nearly 25 years ago, during a time of chaos and uncertainty. And that year had unsettled me more than I expected. My university was partially closed following a student movement and we didn’t know when classes would resume. I
