“Thank you for your application. We'll be in touch." Ever found one of those emails in your inbox? Then weeks later, they are still not in touch? We get it. Nobody trains you for the job search marathon. Yet here you are...job searching in your 20's in a rough economy.

Nobody warns you about the goodbyes you have to make as a parent.

They warn you about the sleepless newborn nights. They warn you about the terrible twos and the teenage eye rolls. They give you books about discipline and development. What they do not give you is a heads up about the moment your child doesn't need you the way they used to, and the confusing, slightly embarrassing, but very real grief that follows.

You know that thing you've been meaning to deal with? The email sitting unread, the phone call you keep putting off, the doctor's appointment never made from 2024, the budget you could tackle in your sleep but somehow haven't even opened? Yeah. That thing. It's not going anywhere. And neither, it turns out, is the anxiety attached to it.

Let's be honest. At some point in your university career, whether you're a student leader, dean, director, or faculty member, you’ve sat in a meeting, smiled politely, and thought: I have absolutely no idea how to handle this.

Being human means constantly asking big questions such as Who am I? What do I care about? Am I enough? One of the places those questions land hardest is in the mirror.

You sit down to begin something important and nothing happens. Not because you don't care,  the engine is there, the fuel is there. And yet the car won't move. Then something catches your attention and suddenly you're completely absorbed, hours passing in what feels like minutes, producing work that surprises even you.

At Human Better, we believe every student deserves the tools to take charge of their life—not someday, but right now.

When Vicki Wisenhant arrived at Wichita State University to lead a department that had recently weathered a punishing campus-wide initiative, she inherited more than a team, she inherited what she called “scar tissue”.

When Therese, a young woman from the Philippines, first met her Human Better EDU coach, Ayla, she thought coaching might be… interesting. Maybe even helpful. But life-changing? That, she did not expect.

Yes, we’ve all heard that “comparison is the thief of joy.” But what if—when met with curiosity instead of criticism—comparison could actually help you?

Picture two people. Guess who ends up rich.

So you’ve crossed the stage, tossed your cap, and entered adulthood. So why do you feel so unsure?

Three years ago, I started coaching a group of wide-eyed, fairly hesitant sixth-grade girls. They were freshly launched into middle school and already asking some big questions. Who am I? Who am I supposed to be? Am I like everyone else?

As we embrace the close of another year we face the question “What will 2025 bring for me?” Some of us use this as a chance to set New Year’s goals, commit to resolutions, or decoupage a vision board so appealing you proudly hang it on your wall.

Why do we, your parents and society, keep insisting the 20s are the best years of your life and that we would do anything to go back to being 25. Would we? Really now, would we?

Expanding your capacity is like unlocking a new level in a video game—essential for achieving those high scores in performance.

At Human Better EDU, we help leaders expand capacity in three domains. 

What if I told you that you could grab some of that time back for yourself, design the summer of your dreams, even as you open up the email with the tuition bill for your daughter’s fall college semester? Here at Human Better EDU, our life coaches can work with you to design the rest of your summer, along with your ideal re-entry to fall.

The choice of how we spend our time is ultimately how we spend our lives. So, how do you transition from being at the mercy of time to being its master?

Teachers, this is devoted to you. Grab paper and pen or fire up a Google doc, because we’ve got a quick coaching exercise just for you. It’ll only take 15 minutes and could make your workday a whole lot brighter.

Tiago Quintana was a participant in our “Leading Your Life” seminar at NOVA School of Business and Economics in Spring 2023 in Portugal. As promised, in today’s newsletter he shares his story of coming out to his parents.