This episode gets a bit personal! Rediscovering a 12-year-old journal unexpectedly transformed my understanding of the work I do now. For weeks, I found myself immersed in the pages of my younger self's thoughts, witnessing my struggles to define personal and professional goals while questioning if I even deserved to have them. What struck me most was seeing the ongoing dialogue I maintained with myself—a practice of brutal honesty and introspection that ultimately helped me bridge the gap between who I was and who I wanted to become.
This experience reinforced that the foundation of my approach in K to R Essentials—what one graduate aptly called "guided introspection"—stems directly from my personal journey.
We often lie to ourselves about what we truly want or how we really feel, which creates misalignment between our actions and aspirations. Through my work with women faculty transitioning from NIH K Awards to R01 grants, I've seen how cultivating this relationship with yourself becomes a powerful differentiator. In our noisy world filled with constant demands and distractions, taking time to be in genuine dialogue with yourself isn't just beneficial—it's essential. Whether through journaling, meditation, or simply creating quiet space to listen to your own thoughts, developing this practice can provide the clarity needed to design a sustainable research career that's meaningful to you while securing the funding to make your work possible.