Deepa Shankar
ThreeFish Consulting
As an HR consultant and coach, I work closely with individuals to help them understand themselves better and make more conscious choices. I’m also an avid reader and a writer, having published children’s books. Reading is a daily ritual that keeps my mind engaged and often offers metaphors that enrich the work I do.
One such book is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I recommend it to anyone caught in loops of regret or the endless curiosity of “what if.” If you’ve ever wondered whether a different choice might have led to a better life, this book will speak to you. The story follows Nora Seed as she steps into a library filled with infinite versions of her life, each shaped by a different decision. The idea is tempting – that somewhere out there, a perfect life exists. But as Nora discovers, every path has its own gifts and trade-offs. The book gently encourages us to find meaning and possibility in the life we are living right now.
In a lot of Hogan De-Briefs, I am asked by individuals, “What does an ideal report look like?” And I get reminded of this book’s key theme – What does an ideal life look like?
The idea of an ideal life, like an ideal report, is a myth. What matters more is are we showing up each day with awareness, ownership, and acceptance. When we stop outsourcing the definition of who we should be and start honouring who we already are, life starts to feel less like something to fix and more like something to shape – with purpose.
