Subtle things

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where both options seem daunting: staying in or changing the path. Staying in feels easier since it is within our comfort zone, but we cannot expect different results from the same actions. Changing the path is often intimidating because it involves exploring new avenues, which sounds exciting on the surface. Still, it also requires developing resilience to embrace failure with a constructive attitude and managing uncertainty. I was recently experiencing all these emotions and with this post, I want to share what helped me think beyond them constructively. As I was weighing various alternatives on how to steer things my way, I realized that there are situations where finding something that appeals to my mind and heart in the moment and near future is perfectly workable than trying to determine an optimal one. In other words, opt for local maxima.  Local maxima and global maxima are terms used in mathematics to describe the maximum value o...

A question about one's preference between a real and a virtual experience would perhaps sound rhetorical to many of us. If you were to ask me, I would not only give a loud cheer to a real experience in most cases but also a strong no to the virtual. My immediate reaction would be accompanied by a question, for if it is virtual, does it even count as an experience.  Today, I caught myself contradicting my own belief here when I found myself enjoying watching a hiking video online. As much I love being in the mountains, I prefer hiking during the summer months only. But interestingly and to my pleasant surprise, I recognized how I derived a great sense of joy even enjoying it vicariously by watching that well directed video. In my defense, I can say that it is not completely virtual since I have been on actual hikes too. So, in some ways, the online video was nostalgic, more than just virtual? Perhaps.  As another example, I do enjoy (and lean towards!) watching Mt. Everest summ...

This post is about a topic that has been on my mind for a long time but I keep pushing to write about it. Every time it has crossed my mind, I decided to finish and release it on March 8th of the coming year, a day that is internationally recognized as Women's Day. Unfortunately, I missed it again this year but given that we are still in the Women's History Month, I thought I can still manage to adhere to my plan to some extent. My LinkedIn feed is flooded with posts marking this celebration and rightly so.  This day is a reminder and celebration of the journey spanning many decades to get us where we are today, a day to recognize and continue amplifying those voices and platforms (AnitaB.org, as one example) that speak, advocate, and celebrate contributions of women in the professional ecosystem at a global scale.  Women's presence and achievements in the workforce is a reflection of a strong positive shift in  society's mindset where we are no longer holding back on...