Answer sheet

Over the course of my education, from primary through to graduate school, a number of my textbooks have have the answers to problem sets in the back. Usually, it’s the odd-numbered problems. It’s helpful, in that you can check to see if you’re doing a calculation right, while still giving you a chance to apply the same process to a different problem where the outcome is unknown.

I tend to doubt myself frequently, about all sorts of things from the mundane (e.g., ice cream flavor selection FOMO is the worst) to the more serious (e.g., my career decisions). I look for validation externally.

What I’ve come to realize is that I have the answer key, not to all the problems, but to enough that I can confirm I’m going in the right direction. I’ve been working on moving from seeking external validation to soliciting insight into how I’m approaching and a solving my problems.

Part of trusting myself is believing that I know the answer that’s right for me and that I can check myself when in need to.