Author Archives: Allison Newell

Recovering perfectionist over here, and I often find myself wanting to reflect on the year, but being overwhelmed by the best way to do so. It is now (checks calendar) 6 days into 2021, and before I jump into goals for 2022, I want to document what I’m proud of, what I learned, and whatContinue reading “2021 Reflections”

“Really? I’m surprised you’re surprised,” is a keystone phrase in Professor Harry Kraemer’s talk about the power of self-reflection. His thesis is that if you consistently reflect on if your actions match your values and are willing to challenge yourself, many things in life will not be surprising. When might be a surprise, but whatContinue reading “Self-reflection as a Super Power”

Shonda Rhimes is a brilliant writer, creative, and businesswoman. It’s no surprise that I (and 82 million other people) loved her hit series, “Bridgerton,” based on the novels by Julia Quinn. Bridgerton takes us to high society London in the Regency period and follows the story of the Bridgerton siblings as they navigate the complicatedContinue reading “The Surprising Parallels Between Business School and Bridgerton”

I settled in at my favorite Evanston coffee shop (see the Third Places post) for a productive afternoon yesterday. I time blocked what I needed to do, and… I did it. And it was less challenging to stay focused than usual. Why? I had forgotten to put on my Apple Watch in the morning. NoContinue reading “Let’s go Analog”

On Friday night, I got to celebrate one of my best friends’ birthdays (with champagne + fries, delicious food, and a wine bar). AND I got to celebrate another best friend’s last day at her (now former!) job as she takes on an exciting new opportunity with a fast-growing start-up. AND I got to celebrateContinue reading “Life celebrations”

My journey with sleep is not unique, at least based on the anecdotal evidence I’ve collected over coffee chats and ladies wine nights with friends. See if this sounds familiar: (and I recognize the privilege of this experience) High school: become super invested in several extracurriculars, take multiple AP courses, work on college and scholarshipContinue reading “It’s OK to need “a lot” of sleep”

I grew up in a small Midwestern town where the question was, “Which church do you go to?” rather than, “Are you religious? If so, which religion do you follow? Tell me more about what it means to you.” Christianity showed up in the many churches around the town, the Christmas decorations, and the musicContinue reading “Do you see diverse religions?”

I did a double take when my professor said we would be doing an AEIOU assignment. (Cue flashbacks from kindergarten) In addition to our very important vowels, in the working and graduate school world, AEIOU is an ethnographic research framework. This memory cue helps us remember to observe and note different aspects of an experienceContinue reading “AEIOU…and sometimes y?”

Emily Torres from The Good Trade wrote a really thought-provoking article, “What Is A Third Place? (And Here’s Why You Should Have One).” I suggest you read it for yourself. It was so relevant to my headspace that I wanted to document a few of the key points here. A third place is a familiarContinue reading “Where is your third place?”

“Good for her! Not for me,” is the way Amy Peohler flipped the script on mom judgment when she had kids. She explains more in her book, “Yes Please,” which is now on my reading list. I’m adapting this idea for business school – really life in general, but business school happens to be myContinue reading ““Good for them! Not for me.” Amy Poehler Wisdom on a Friday”