About

Hello there,

... and welcome to the Soft(ware) Side, a chaotic corner of my brain where all thoughts are welcome.

My name is Maria Cornelia Andersen. I’ve spent the last decade building a career in IT. As an expat I focused on working hard to prove myself. I have bent myself over trying to fit in and was desperate to move up. For a long time, success simply meant more: more responsibility, more impact, more doing.

Then I became a mother, and I realised that I want to a live my life intentionally.

Through the things I want to teach my son, I’ve started to question what “success” actually means and to reconnect with my core values. It’s been a mix of unlearning old habits, setting new boundaries, and remembering that learning and play matter just as much as performance and productivity.

This blog is part of that process. The Soft(ware) Side is my place to explore what happens when life, motivation, leadership, and technology overlap – especially from the perspective of a woman and a mother in IT.

What can you expect?

Nothing too glossy or perfect:

• Honest reflections on work–life balance in tech (the good, the bad, and the messy)
• Thoughts on women’s leadership and career paths that don’t always look linear
• A human take on software and tech trends – how they actually feel for real people
• Small experiments, lessons learned, and questions I’m still figuring out

I’m not writing from the finish line. I’m writing from the middle – while juggling work, family, identity, and a changing industry.

If that sounds familiar, I’m glad you’re here.