#career reflection

Why does success feel empty even when everything works? Why climbing the career ladder feels meaningless? A deep reflection on career growth, identity, and why climbing the ladder no longer fulfills. There is a moment that arrives quietly. Not when things fall apart.Not when you fail. But when everything appears to be working. You are progressing. Delivering. Advancing.The trajectory is…

Forty years ago I was working for a litigation support firm in a high-rise in Century City. I heard about the Challenger exploding and rushed down to the bar & grill downstairs, where I knew they had a television. Little did I know that a year later, almost to the day, I would begin working as a temp on the Space Shuttle Main Engine program, where I mostly did data input on the FMEA/CIL document…

I’ve been trying to be more intentional about how I use quiet time lately, especially around the holidays. Instead of doom-scrolling or half-reading random articles, I wanted something slower. Books that actually make me pause and think about work, people, and how teams grow over time.

I realized most of what I read during the year is reactive. Deadlines, trends, quick takes. But this season feels like a good moment to step back and read things that shape how I think long term, especially around HR, learning, and leadership.

I came across a small holiday reading list focused on HR and L&D strategy, and it felt like the right kind of pace. Not hype, not “10 hacks,” just thoughtful books you could sit with and come back to later. I’m saving a few of these for slower mornings and end-of-year reflection.

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in The Power of Seeing What Others Overlook We often miss beauty because we’ve been told where not to look. This post challenges that idea—with heart, clarity, and a quiet nudge. ✨ A Fresh Lens We’re taught early on to separate what’s “useful” from what’s “not.”Smart from slow. Polished from raw. Worthy from unworthy. But what…

Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo Sanjay Kumar Mohindroo. skm.stayingalive.in Work isn’t just about making money. It’s about doing something you wouldn’t trade for anything else. When Work Feels Like Joy Does it work if you love doing it?
 Ever met someone who lights up when they talk about their work?
They speak with ease. Their eyes shine. Time disappears when they’re at it.
They’re not chasing the…

I’ve always been super intrigued and inspired by my mom. She’s a world traveler, deeply invested and interested in so many cultures. Before I was born, she thoroughly explored Europe - jumping around Italy, from art galleries to photoshoots and landmarks. She always loved America, too, of course. Once we moved to America, she didn’t explore as much but still made plenty of art herself and continually taught herself new techniques and designs. A couple years ago now since moving to South Korea, she has been able to embrace culture yet again. Weekly, she will tell me about the new class she has taken or her attempts to learn Hangeul. She takes her time to travel to all the landmarks she can in a day, collects every bit of brochure or informative pamphlet, studies carefully in preparation for every site. Lately, I’ve been considering a life like that where I can work closely within different cultures, learning about them myself and relating with others.

Every now and then when I reflect on it, I’m even more eager to bring this into my life. Though I cannot travel the world in a similar way, or so I tell myself right now, but I can incorporate multiculturalism into my practice as an art therapist.