Am I falling behind ? This is the question I asked myself often when I made the conscious decision to step away from seeking "advancement" in big tech. I remember during every performance review cycle in my corporate career, the question I heard most was some version of this: 'What gaps do I need to bridge between my current contributions and the expectations of the next level?' I answered it. Carefully. Strategically. But while I was helping others expand their role, scope, and visibility...
about 8 hours ago • 3 min read
“I don’t know if I can quit yet.” I heard those words again last week. Different woman, different company, different twists of the same struggles. On the Zoom screen, she looked composed; the image of a high-impact woman who has arrived. But behind the camera was the exhaustion of someone who has been holding her breath for three years. She has the mortgage. She has the family to feed and the spouse to align with. And most of all, she has that position she fought a decade to earn. To walk...
10 days ago • 3 min read
When external pressures meet excessive, unrealistic demands on yourself, the result can be, inevitably, burnout. When we tied our identity so tightly to professional achievements, self-care became a luxury we felt guilty taking—even when our health depended on it. This isn't just a personal issue; it has become a widespread organizational crisis. As of May 2025, Glassdoor mentions of burnout in employee reviews have jumped 73% year-over-year. Years of layoffs, understaffing, and economic...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Life after big tech. It was a Wednesday morning, I was sitting in a corner of a little bakery, coffee in hand. A couple, both in their 80s, easy. She had this laugh that filled the whole room. He leaned in every time she spoke, like whatever she was saying was the most interesting thing he'd heard all week. Sixty years of marriage, and he was still leaning in. The woman caught my eye and said, "I hope we haven't been too loud and disturbed your reading." I told her honestly: not at all. That...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Do you wake up feeling drained and unmotivated? Do you feel like a deflated balloon, struggling to find your energy? If so, you're not alone. You might be experiencing burnout, a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) Work and Well-being Survey: In 2021, 79% of U.S. employees experienced work-related stress in the month prior to the survey. 36% reported cognitive weariness, 32% reported...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Have you experienced that nagging feeling of "not good enough" creeping in as you navigate your career growth? The pressure to advance, the endless scroll of seemingly perfect careers and lives on social media? You compare yourself with other people's careers and lives, you feel you're falling short in the social comparison game. If this resonates, you're in the right place. We, as driven professionals, often find ourselves measured against unspoken societal standards. It's a natural human...
2 months ago • 4 min read
At some point in your career, you feel the tug: The Sunday-night dread. The creeping exhaustion. The sense that you’re doing everything “right,” yet something is missing. Maybe you wonder: “Is this the life I want to keep building?” You’ve worked hard to get to this point—earned respect, made sacrifices, pushed through self-doubt. Yet the cost of carrying all that can weigh on your well-being, slowly draining your spark. But here’s what most people don’t see: growth doesn’t have to come with...
3 months ago • 5 min read
Life transitions, such as career changes, motherhood, or navigating societal expectations can impact self-confidence. Setbacks like job loss, being overlooked for promotions, or challenges in re-entering the workforce after a career break can further erode confidence. These experiences can lead to feelings of inadequacy, a fear of irrelevance, and a pervasive sense of failure. Life has taken me on a winding road, filled with both positive milestones and unexpected setbacks, including layoffs,...
4 months ago • 2 min read
If you're a professional Asian woman like me, picture this… You're standing in front of the mirror, practicing how to ask for that well-earned promotion. Your track record speaks volumes—stellar projects delivered, high-performing teams led, innovations implemented. But still, something holds you back. That hesitation isn’t just personal. For many Asian women in America, career progression is shaped by a complex interplay of cultural values, gendered expectations, and racialized performance...
5 months ago • 3 min read