Soft Skills - Ask a Wharton MBA
Develop Soft Skills – Work Smart & Live More
“Our primary goal for visit is to hug you and feed you. So prepare your list of favorite places to go. 🥰🤗” That was the text I sent my 18-year-old daughter before visiting her for Parents Weekend last weekend. I also added that, of course, we wanted to watch her dance and perform as well. ...
Since leaving full-time work last April, people often ask me, “How is retirement going?”
I usually pause before answering. I think people expect me to say, “It’s great.” And in many ways, it is. I’ve traveled more, spent more time with my family, and had the luxury of deciding how I want to spend most of my days. I’ve also tried to take better care of myself, although my recent flare-up might suggest I still have some work to do on that one. ...
As I step into 2026, I find myself in a season of transition — one that feels unfamiliar, a little disorienting, and surprisingly freeing.
I’m leaving full-time work and entering what I like to call my rewirement phase. It’s not quite retirement, not exactly a second act with a clearly defined script. I don’t yet know what my goals will be for the next five years. And for the first time in a long time, I’m learning to be okay with that. ...
If someone asked you right now, “Are you wealthy?”—what would you think of first?
For most of my life, I would have thought about this question from a monetary standpoint: Is my salary, savings, and investments enough to give us financial security? Growing up, that was the only kind of wealth I understood. ...
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on something I didn’t expect to be thinking about so much after leaving full-time work: contentment. Not success. Not achievement. Just contentment. For years, I chased financial goals believing that once I hit certain milestones, I’d finally feel “good.” Safe. Satisfied. And sure, money brings options and peace of mind—but it doesn’t automatically bring ease. It doesn’t create that deeper sense of being okay with yourself and your life. ...
I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of “yes” lately. It’s been just over a month since I said farewell to my last job, and instead of jumping straight into what’s next, I’ve intentionally made space — and within that space, I’ve said “yes” to things I wouldn’t have before.
And honestly? The results have surprised me. I’ve made more meaningful connections and sparked more ideas in these five weeks than I usually do in half a year. It’s reminded me of something important: you don’t have to leave your job or make a big life change to open yourself to growth. You can start saying “yes” right where you are. ...
After 4+ unforgettable (and occasionally truly unhinged) years, it’s time to say farewell.
When I joined, I thought I was signing up for one job… but 4 months in, surprise! A merger turned all of our jobs upside down and gave us a front-row seat to a masterclass in change management (and “how to bond with strangers over shared chaos”). From there, it only got more interesting—company collapse, another acquisition, new teammates, new systems, new acronyms. ...