A founder recently told me their "dream hire" for a Head of Design had slipped away. They had found the perfect candidate. Seasoned. Visionary. A leader who could transform their product and brand. They threw in a great salary, equity, and all the right perks. The candidate nodded, asked thoughtful questions, seemed engaged. And then? They disappeared. Not a rejection. Just silence. It wasn’t an isolated incident. I’ve heard this from multiple founders, and from design leaders on the other side who say they’re tired—tired of fighting for …
The Weight of What No Longer Exists
Some things don’t deserve a second thought, but they get a thousand. And somehow, it’s always the worst ones that stick—the missed chances, the words that should’ve been said (or shouldn’t have), the moments that replay like a bad song on loop. It’s ridiculous, really. Life keeps moving, but the mind loves to drag its feet, digging up old wounds just to poke at them again. Like pressing rewind on a movie that can’t be changed, hoping the ending will somehow be different. But time isn’t a magician. It doesn’t care about nostalgia, regret, or …
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Between Open Hearts and Guarded Walls
There’s a moment in life when sharing a personal truth lights up a room—like the time I spoke candidly at a small dinner and felt the warmth of honest nods all around. That singular, raw moment transformed a routine evening into a space of genuine connection. It felt like a switch flipped: my vulnerability not only deepened my bond with those around me but also invited them to open up in return. Yet, there’s another side to that coin. In a critical work meeting, I chose to keep my thoughts measured. I withheld details that might have stirred …
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Brain on Simmer
Some ideas show up fully dressed, ready to go. Others stand in the corner, half-asleep, wearing mismatched socks. The instinct is to drag them into the light, force them into sentences, make them behave. But the best ones? They don’t respond well to pressure. They need time to ferment. It starts with a tiny, nagging thought. A question. A frustration. Something that refuses to leave, no matter how many other tasks demand attention. Then comes the messy, maddening middle: the brain churns, rejects easy answers, reshuffles pieces. It looks …
The Voice in My Head Thinks I’m an Idiot (And Other Lies It Tells Me)
It starts with a whisper. A tiny, nagging thought. You’re going to mess this up. Before I know it, the whisper turns into a full-scale production. Everyone can see through you. You should probably disappear into the woods and live among creatures that don’t judge. For years, this voice had all the authority of a Supreme Court ruling. It dictated what was true: If anxiety showed up, that meant I wasn’t ready. If envy flared, that meant I was failing. If guilt sank its claws in, that meant I was a terrible person. The voice never considered …
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When Self-Doubt Knocks, Don’t Answer
Doubt has a way of creeping in, whispering that I should be different—stronger, smarter, less me. For years, I listened. Not anymore. Overthinking doesn’t solve problems; it just makes them bigger. So instead of spiraling into Why is this happening? or Am I overreacting?, I ask better questions. What part of this is mine to fix? Not who’s to blame? or why does this keep happening? Those lead nowhere. A better question: What’s actually in my control? And what’s just an old pattern playing out again? Trying to control others is like …
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