By Kimine Mayuzumi You may already know this in your body, even if it’s easy to forget: It is vital to have a support system—a circle of friends and colleagues, both inside and outside the academy. In a past blog post on imposter feelings in academia, we shared how important it is to build one’s own support system to navigate the shame that is so common in academic spaces. Alongside the competitive culture of…
By Michelle Boyd So my brother and I are hanging out with his 2-year old goddaughter a few weeks ago. She’s the kind of kid who, as he points out, smiles not just with her face, but with her whole body. At the moment, her smile is trained on a plush, kid-sized, easy chair. Which, she has just discovered, can be tipped upside down into a little triangle, so that it doubles as a soft-sided…
By Michelle Boyd If you’re like many scholars I know, you may have found yourself looking around at the end of last semester, wondering how—despite your best intentions—you ended up so exhausted. I recently found myself there too, and the more I listened, the more I found others facing the same problem. These words, from a scholar I’ll call Mina, struck a chord when I read them in one of my online support groups: “I’m…
By Kimine Mayuzumi In Part I of “inspiring quotes about slowing down,” I introduced some quotes on what prevents us from slowing down. Today, I am excited to share Part II, regarding what are important ingredients for slowing down. Words can be powerful when you digest them not only with your mind but also with your heart. These quotes are gentle reminders for you to pay attention to and be mindful of what you do.…
By Kimine Mayuzumi “We often become so busy that we forget what we are doing or even who we are” (Thich Nhat Hanh) As a parent, I sometimes feel like I am engaged in morning battles. Oversleeping for even 10 minutes makes it harder for me to manage the morning breakfast table rushhour. And worst of all, I can become cranky, take my agitation out on the kids and start raising my voice because of…
