There’s a vast disconnect between the version of me that I present online and the version of me that exists in the real world.

Does anyone else struggle with this?

When I write stuff online, usually it’s about serious (and yes... boring) technical topics like unit testing and TDD. That’s only fair because that’s something I care about, have a lot of experience with, and is something I can help people with.

But it’s not who I am.

Most of my work as a software consultant is about helping people have a happier existence at work. It sounds totally ridiculous to say it like that, but it’s true.

It starts by bringing my whole self to work. My lazy, erratic and often clueless self. And I encourage others to do the same. To be themselves, and to not take their work too seriously.

And that stuff is hard to write about. Because it’s just... existence.

It’s the almost unnoticeable words and actions that happen every single day. An attitude to work and life.

Telling jokes. Laughing together. Watching YouTube videos together while you wait for the build to finish. Talking about what you got up to over the weekend... and being honest about it. Listening.

Taken on their own, these actions aren’t very interesting to outsiders. But together, they add up to something worth sharing.

This blog post is brief, but it’s a start. There will be more to follow!

🙏