This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Parul Somani , a working mother and the author of The Path of Least Regret. It has been edited for length and clarity.
After giving birth to my second child in 2014, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was 31.
That changed my life, including how I make decisions.
I was always a high achiever
I was raised in an immigrant family and saw the work ethic my parents demonstrated. They always valued education, and while there was never pressure from them, it was something that I absorbed: work hard, because nothing is going to be handed to you.
I always had a clear plan in place, and a precision of…
