The Atlas

I am a bit of a junkie when it comes to the Harvard Study of Adult Development. If you aren't familiar with it, you can check out Dr. Robert Waldinger's TED Talk on it to get more background. But the net-net is that, for nearly 80 years, the research team at Harvard has been tracking the lives of a group of men who came from all walks of life, to see how their lives unfolded — and ultimately, what led to a happy, satisfying life. As it turns out, the answer is actually pretty simple.

Tough conversations are difficult for everyone. No one starts out good at them. The only way to get better is to just do it -- with empathy.

Twice in the past couple of days I've found myself in virtually the same conversation with different people: someone was urgently in need of something from someone else, but had not provided enough context to help clarify why the request was so important or time-sensitive.

Today marks the end of the Mexican chapter of my digital nomad adventure. I am leaving Mexico a couple weeks earlier than originally planned so that I can return for a visit to California to be there when my father has surgery at the end of this week.

Nothing determines our definition of success more than expectations -- our own and other people's. Part of letting go of those old expectations starts with deciding what you really need to prove and to whom.

I just got back from spending the past two weeks exploring the State of Puebla in Mexico. Aside from the beautiful art, amazing food and incredible scenery throughout the state, one of the things that are always most interesting to me is other travelers — particularly the groups of women over-40 traveling together. This is always one of my favorite spectator sports when I'm on vacation. When I invariably find myself talking to these women, I often hear similar stories.

It's been one-month since I left Austin. And though I have had two trips back to the US in this time (and therefore have not really been in Mexico for that whole month), I have a first glimpse of some good lessons in this first phase of my new life.

After more than a decade in Austin, it's time to say adios and muchas gracias for all the tacos!