I’ve been thinking about how warped my perspective is, even now, coming to journalism from a working-class background where everyone you knew hated their jobs, which were merely means to an end, and you were raised to shut your mouth and be grateful for whatever you’re given.

On the plus side, it meant I felt super lucky and was driven to work hard. The downside, it took me way too long to realize my standards were really low.

Fortunately, despite my upbringing, complaining has always come quite naturally to me.

My parents always think I’m about to be fired (which is why they still keep a detailed byline count). But years ago, when I told them I was planning to ask for a raise, they were convinced I was going to be marched out of the building.

This is very true, and reflects one of the biggest conundrums of being a journalist: Attributes that benefit you as a reporter in the field are not always as helpful to you when trying to navigate a professional environment or just as a human being. https://twitter.com/rachelswarns/status/1275577210494169088