ALLISON E. MCWILLIAMS

At the beginning of the year I decided to go deep into a commitment I’ve made (to myself) over the past few years to my writing. It was my version of self-care in the midst of all this madness: instead of constantly engaging in the insanity, I would show up for me, take classes, seek out feedback, and write as much as possible. And, mostly, I’ve done it (what can I say, I’m very goal-motivated). I love getting to a point where you can look back and see how far you’ve come and

In my higher ed job I get to attend and speak at professional conferences on a regular basis. Right now, I’m on the planning committee for three (too many, let me tell you). These are often seen as one of the “perks” of higher ed, and many treat it as such. Instead of going to the workshops or the networking activities, they sit by the pool, or go sightseeing, or bring their families and treat it as a vacation. As someone who is hardwired for learning, I’ve always been baffle

In my day job providing career development for professionals of all ages and stages, I’ve been spending a lot of time recently repeating this phrase: You need to get ready now so that you will be ready when you need to be. Lots of people are losing their jobs right now or are under threat of that happening soon. Unfortunately, many have not put away money, “just in case,” or spent time building their networks or developing their skills when they could. That doesn’t mean it’s

It’s been a minute since I’ve written anything here. It’s been a lot of minutes. The last time I was here, I had turned in pages to an...

Last month I wrote about taking intentional rest over the winter holiday. Which, I’m glad to say, I did. And, for approximately a decade...

I was looking back through my previous posts and realized I’ve written basically this exact same post , at this exact same time a year...

I love learning about other people's processes. I love the podcast How I Built This , I love learning about new organizational design...

Here in North Carolina, lots of folks have been using this famous Mister Rogers quote this week: “When I was a boy and I would see scary...

I don’t know about you, but everything feels a little . . . nutty right now. I posted a silly meme about being exhausted on Instagram...

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hearing the great Frances Mayes talk about her most recent novel, A Great Marriage , at my local...

Everyone I know seems to be saying the same thing right now: “Can you believe it’s already August?” Usually followed by something like,...

I have officially been querying my current WIP for a year. Which, on its own, is worth noting; I’m pretty sure my previous forays into...

It’s graduation weekend at the school where I work (also my alma mater), as it is at colleges and universities across the country. It’s...

I’m not good at rest. Not actual rest – I LOVE a good nap, and sleep is quite possibly my most favorite thing – but acknowledging that my...

Did you see it? Chances are, if you’re living in North Carolina, you did. That game, that improbable moment, when N.C. State, the team...

I got in an accident this week. Counting the time that my father rear-ended me at a stop sign (and somehow did $800 worth of damage to my...

I have this vivid memory from when I was a senior in college of telling someone about my post-graduation plans, “What I really want to do...

Patience has never been one of my biggest strengths. One the pro side, this makes me great at decision-making. I have a strong bias to...

Are you someone who makes New Year’s resolutions? I’m not, and never have been. But I do love goal setting, professionally, and...

In the December 2023/January 2024 issue of Vanity Fair, a feature on the director Greta Gerwig (she of Barbie fame, among others) ends...