Mistake #1: Not knowing what I was signing up for — As an up-and-coming software engineer, it’s natural to be on the lookout for opportunities to prove oneself. We want to stand out and show that we can be relied upon as competent members of the team. When I was approached by a more senior member in my department, asking if…

Why our relationships aren’t special — and why that’s ok. — For me, there exists that one person who above all others can fulfill my deepest desires for intimacy, understand me like no one else, and bring enduring happiness into my life. A one true love, so to speak. At least that’s what many movies, stories, songs, and fairy tales would…

Anytime I don’t feel like getting something done, I make myself a promise. And then I break it. When faced with a task, I’m often too overwhelmed by its perceived scale that inaction gets the better of me. …

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that my dad is my biggest supporter. Even unbidden, his words of encouragement always find their way to me. His conviction that my brother and I are capable of great things is unyielding. Always has been. His enthusiasm didn’t come as a surprise…

One battle at a time. — We were about halfway through our run when one of my friends casually asked how far we still had to go. It was one of those days when the clouds are hanging menacingly low in the sky, dark enough to make you think twice about going on a run, but…

Anyone who’s read Orwell’s 1984 is familiar with this line: “The best books, he perceived, are those that tell you what you already know.” If you haven’t already read the book, I’d highly recommend it. …