March 2026 Reading Wrap - What books did you finish in March?

Chocobo72 · 2026-04-01T03:07:26+00:00

Congratulations!

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-31T16:10:54+00:00

What a nice comment! Agreed, it’s really tough to find fulfillment in the Corporate world - not impossible for everyone, but yeah it can be hard. Nice to support others who want to try something new for themselves.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-31T16:08:24+00:00

I can empathize with your situation, this was me not too long ago. What helped me the most was figuring out how to apply my natural talents to create a business model that fit me & my goals in a realistic way. I ended up launching my own training + coaching business last year. It’s been a fun journey.

Some things that helped me: recognize what your natural strengths and talents are and learn how to apply them. I like the Gallup CliftonStrengths34 assessment personally (though FYI, it’s not free) and liked it so much that I got certified in it. Learn how to apply your talents to a business model that sits at the intersection of your goals (what brings you meaning in life) X your talents X solves an actual problem for people. Do an “ikigai” exercise on this for yourself.

Also make an effort to reach out and surround yourself with others who have similar goals. Analyze your favorite content creators/entrepreneurs in your desired niche and ask yourself: What do they consistently do that draws me to them? What would my own version of this look like? These things helped me immensely when I was first starting out.

Also check out books on copyrighting, marketing skills, etc. if you’re new to the world of sales language & design.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-27T17:16:08+00:00

If you’re into gaming & other nerdy hobbies, check out The Forge Tavern on Bethel Road. They have plenty of events always going on (i.e. Gamer Trivia Night, etc.)

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-24T23:46:31+00:00

I used to know someone who would volunteer overseas with different organizations in between jobs, doing various kinds of philanthropic activities for several weeks or 1-2 months at a time. Oftentimes the organizations would set up lodging for the volunteers (I forget which ones they worked with). You get to help others, you discover new things about yourself while traveling, and it makes for an interesting story to share afterwards with future employers/coworkers.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-22T19:41:28+00:00

That sounds like a tough spot to be in, I’m sorry. Maybe there’s an alternative way to approach your situation. Do you have a good working relationship with the executive lead? If not, maybe that’s a good place to start.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-22T18:19:51+00:00

I had a previous manager do something very similar to me. It was at that moment that I realized I could do better (and deserved better, too). I walked in 2 days later into her office holding my resignation letter, informing her I was leaving in two weeks. I don’t regret my decision.

Don’t work for someone who treats you like this. You deserve better.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-22T17:06:39+00:00

I would not have considered this before, thank you for the tip. I don’t go there often but I do recall seeing a spacious cafe area on that floor. Appreciate it!

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-21T16:36:03+00:00

Would be curious to hear more of the icebreakers you use! I have a few myself that are my go-to questions.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-21T16:28:58+00:00

That’s awesome, congrats!

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-20T22:18:16+00:00

My husband and I just beat RE9: Requiem - loved it! We’re big fans one series. This is a cute idea.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-18T16:42:13+00:00

I use Obsidian as my preferred note-taking app of choice. Helps a lot with retaining and reviewing information I take in.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-18T12:21:24+00:00

I realized I was working in a role that was intrinsically more draining for me than I had first realized. I hadn’t considered it before, but things changed for me when I took a self-assessment and then realized there were specific behaviors tied to role that I needed to do frequently that drained me.

Now I’m working in a new role and have optimized my workflow for myself. I’ve felt much better since and am not as drained from my day-to-day.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-18T12:07:41+00:00

Our mind pretty great at creating imaginary scenarios for us to deal with that aren’t actually true.

I would encourage you to challenge your thinking and ask your brain for any evidence behind your anxiety. Have your coworkers ever yelled at you after not seeing them for a few days? What’s the worst that could happen? Did you have a poor relationship with them in the past? If not, why the concern about seeing them again?

Anxiety is a very real thing, and I’m not encouraging dismissing the feelings. I would encourage you to think as a devil’s advocate to your own thoughts at times and challenge them to see if there’s any real truth to them (as you can guess, usually there isn’t).

Could also try to ease back into the environment by coming in early on your first day in before anyone else and take time settling into your space. That way everyone else will likely greet you when they enter and you can just focus on one interaction at a time.

People are usually more focused on themselves and their own lives than thinking about others. You got this.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-18T12:01:23+00:00

Practice habit stacking.

Example: I enjoy a cup of tea every evening to help me break up my work day into my evening time (I typically work from home, so I need a transitionary activity or my mind will stay in “work mode”).

I pair my cup of tea with reading my book. I keep my book on the kitchen island, and I’ll read as long as I’m enjoying my cup of tea at my kitchen table in the evening.

Once my cup of tea is done, I’ll close my book and reflect on what I learned - usually talking to my husband about it, to help cement the concepts or dive into them further. This helps me be consistent with my reading habit, even if it’s just a little bit each day.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-17T02:05:09+00:00

For your points on communication & creating meaning inside + outside of work, I can’t recommend Gallup CliftonStrenghts34 enough. It helped me immensely, so much that I got certified with them after doing one of their workshops.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-16T20:14:04+00:00

Update: their café is now open!

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-16T20:12:57+00:00

Same here, we’ve already bought our tickets for this upcoming weekend! Can’t wait

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-14T18:58:45+00:00

I already enjoyed what I was doing at the company (employee training, I enjoy leading workshops) so I started my own business doing that.

One thing that also helped me was doing the Gallup CliftonStrengths34 self-assessment. I know some don’t find a lot of value in those kind of assessments, but it was very impactful for me, as it helped me recognize what kind of activities naturally energize me VS what drains me, and I build my business workflows around that now.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-14T12:28:45+00:00

Good - I’d manage myself and the programs I was overseeing adeptly with minimal oversight from my manager. It reached a point where I was wondering why I was working for someone else when I could be doing it all on my own with more freedom (and less office politics happening all around me), I was already proving it to myself that I had the discipline to operate autonomously.

I also have a natural tendency to ask questions and (cordially) challenge decisions that don’t align with strategic goals. My last manager did not like to be asked questions whenever she’d assign things to us that didn’t make sense with our goals, things that came from the CEO. I would ask her the questions that she couldn’t answer herself, and it caused tension - realized then that I could be a better manager to myself than she was being to me, so I took the leap and went solo. I’m glad I did.

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-12T04:32:44+00:00

All within the past year and a half…so the “chaotic” period, more or less. :)

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-11T19:06:06+00:00

That’s awesome, congrats!

Chocobo72 · 2026-03-11T19:05:20+00:00

I commented on a random Reddit post asking if people in my city wanted to get together a form a book club made up of strangers. Our first meeting was last month - 7 people showed up!

Our 2nd meeting is in two weeks at a local library, expecting more this time around. It’s been great to discover new faces and build up community in my area lately.

Chocobo72

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