Self Development

In my previous post, I talked about learning to deal with stress after walking away from a steady paycheck. This one is less philosophical and more practical. Think of it as me sharing how am I handling things in practice, the nuts and bolts, as I find my footing and explore the path of solopreneurship. The Habit That Changed Everything More than a year before I quit my job at Microsoft, I picked up one habit that turned out to be a lifesaver: tracking my finances. ...

One of the first questions people ask me after hearing that I have quit my corporate job, is almost always the same: “How do you handle the stress?” “How do you sleep at night knowing there’s no guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month?” It’s a fair question. We’ve been conditioned to believe that a regular salary is the ultimate safety net, and that stepping away from it automatically means living in a constant state of anxiety. But after spending some time on the other side, I’ve realized something important about stress and it’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough. ...

It’s been a while since I shared an update, so I figured it’s time to check in, partly for anyone following my journey but mostly to get my own thoughts in order. Post Microsoft, the past few months have been a mix of celebration, reflection, recalibration, minor chaos and a surprising number of “what am I even doing?” moments. So here’s a quick catch-up on where my time and headspace have been lately. ...

Some days are just off. You find yourself wondering how to pass the time and engage in random activities. The activities themselves don’t need to have any meaning. You just do something, anything, as if your mind is stuck in a cycle of indecision and laziness. And before you know it, BAM! It’s 2 AM, and you’re still staring at your computer monitor. Where did the time go? “Ah, life sucks!” you declare, while continuing to stare, mindlessly browsing, munching on unhealthy snacks that chip away at you bit by bit. Then comes yet another resolution (in vain) to change yourself and upgrade your life first thing the next morning. ...

I recently attended a two-week workshop on general soft skills, cross-cultural awareness, and related subjects. Two topics really made me sit up and take notice. The others were good too, but the ones below truly caught my attention: Self-Leadership Fostering Creativity I won’t go into detail about what was taught during the workshop. Instead, I’ll share my own independent thoughts on these topics from my perspective. 1. Self-Leadership This is perhaps one of the most interesting topics I’ve come across recently. We often complain about the changes we’d like to bring into a “system” if only we had the chance. We also complain about the lack of leadership skills shown by those already in such positions. But when you look inward, you realize something important: leadership is not easy. You realize it the hard way when you try to lead yourself into change. ...