Hey there,

Today’s What About Me is going to be short. Maybe because it’s 11:32 PM on a Tuesday and I’m exhausted. Maybe because today’s message is meant to be short.

These past few weeks have flown by. Have you stopped to realize that almost two months of this year are already gone? And somehow, more than ever, I feel like I’ve been on autopilot. Days pass without me even noticing—work, routines, deadlines, the back-and-forth to the office, the kitchen breaks where I ask myself, what did I come here for again? It’s all automatic. And honestly, I’m not here to complain about it (at least not in this edition). Instead, I want to talk about those rare moments that break the cycle. Those unexpected, fleeting moments that suddenly snap you out of autopilot.

• The other day, I went out with some former coworkers. I always liked them, but let’s be real—when it comes to work friendships, there’s always that question: Do we actually like each other, or do we just get along because we have to? Will these friendships last beyond the office? And most of the time, probably won’t.

But a few weeks ago, in the middle of my routine, I got messages from two of them—separately. We hadn’t spoken in months, yet both reached out to ask how I was doing and suggested meeting up. And I won’t lie—it made my day. It was this unexpected warmth, this small but meaningful reminder that maybe I wasn’t just a pleasant coworker to be around (although I do am a really pleasant coworker to be around), but someone they genuinely wanted to keep in their lives.

So, in the middle of my usual weekend study sessions, I decided to hit pause and see them. And what a great day it was. I don’t know if I was that happy because I truly missed them, or if it was just the feeling of breaking free from my routine for once. But that surprise, that little gift I gave myself—the chance to live a day instead of just letting it pass—was one of the best things that happened to me last week.

I'm running out of philosophical ideas to write about here. Maybe it's because I don't have time to reflect on them, so today I decided to simply write about something that made me happy last week.

Routine is inevitable. Autopilot is part of life. But every now and then, it’s just as important to step out of it. To stop going through life and in some days, actually live it.

With love,

Micael.