Author: Mara Ellison
-
Why I Dread Every Icebreaker at Work Now
They’re framed as fun, but I feel my body brace every time one starts. I remember when icebreakers were rare. An occasional warm-up at a retreat. A quick round of introductions when new people…
-
Why I Stopped Showing Enthusiasm on Camera
I used to think turning on my camera was a way of being *present.* Over time it became a place where I felt watched more than understood. When video calls became the norm, I…
-
What It’s Like When Inclusivity Doesn’t Include You
I believed inclusivity meant being welcomed in. What I experienced was the quiet ache of being *counted* — but not *seen.* There was a time when I believed the word “inclusivity” meant everyone genuinely…
-
How Workplaces Subtly Reward the Loudest Voices
I didn’t realize how much volume mattered until I began to notice how often the loudest voices were rewarded — not necessarily for what they said, but for how they *projected* it. I remember…
-
How Corporate Jargon Took Over Every Conversation
Somewhere along the way, work stopped sounding like people thinking and started sounding like an organization talking to itself. I remember when conversations at work still sounded human. Not casual exactly, but grounded. People…
-
Why I Don’t Know How to Act in Hybrid Workspaces Anymore
Hybrid work was supposed to blend flexibility with connection. Instead, it left me feeling uncertain about who I am in any given space — and how I’m *supposed* to be in all of them.…
-
What It Feels Like to Work Somewhere That’s Always Rebranding
Every rebrand promised a fresh start, a renewed identity, a clearer direction. Instead, it began to feel like the ground continually shifted beneath my feet. When the first rebrand was announced at my workplace,…
-
What It’s Like Working in a Place Obsessed with Positivity
Nothing was technically forbidden, but some feelings clearly didn’t belong in the room. When I first noticed how much positivity mattered, it didn’t register as a problem. It showed up as encouragement. Optimism. A…
-
How Company Culture Videos Made Me Feel Disconnected
I once saw company culture videos as windows into community. Over time, they began to feel like mirrors showing everyone else — but not me. I remember the first company culture video I watched.…
-
Why I Don’t Share My Mental Health Story at Work
I once believed there would be room for honest conversation about mental health at work. What I found was a quiet hesitation — not from others, but from within myself. There was a time…