I work with this very interesting guy and constantly think of asking him out. The reason I haven’t so far is because it’s very hard to understand where he stands when it comes to me. He chats a lot, and I sometimes get the feeling he would like to get to know me better, but then I see him being as friendly to other colleagues. I don’t want to embarrass myself by asking him out and then being turned down, but I also don’t want to let this opportunity go. Another thing that prevents me from saying anything is that he’s senior to me, and this may have some impact on how we work together. I don’t think our office would have a problem and I’m not worried about things becoming awkward, but there’s also some hesitancy about whether I am unnecessarily complicating my professional life. What should I do?
You should stop overthinking this and ask him out if you’re interested. This doesn’t have to be a date, and everything you mention is purely speculative because you know nothing about his feelings. Why worry about how this will affect your future as colleagues when you don’t even know if he’s interested? Why not tell him you would like to get to know him better, talk about going out for a cup of coffee, and ask him about his personal life before jumping to any conclusions? 

My parents will never approve of my boyfriend which is why I am considering ending our relationship. He thinks we should still be together, but I don’t see a point if I know that there is no future. I love him and would like to be with him, but the sooner I end it, the easier it will be for us to both move on. Is this the right thing to do?
If you know there is no future, and are prepared to accept that, this relationship is already over irrespective of what you or your boyfriend choose to do.