Contagious positivity. Be thankful, about more. Writing as therapy. Talking to your "textbook". Gratitude leads to optimism. Consume outside your bubble. Everyone's watching.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
– Albert Einstein (?)
1. “Emotions are ‘contagious’ and the company we keep will be a major influence [on] how we feel”
Aging Well in an Era of Uncertainty – Katharine Esty – (blog)
While the context is aging, the lessons apply at any age. The takeaway above is particularly noteworthy. Hang around grumpy people and you’ll likely become grumpier. Conversely, if you can maintain a positive attitude, perhaps the people around you benefit, improving their own outlook as well.
It’s difficult these days. But even if you can convince yourself to fake it for a bit, the results can be positive.
Just for this hour, I will have a positive attitude.
I’m not saying that there aren’t things to be concerned about, there most certainly are. But rather than becoming “despairalyzed”, as the author relates, maintaining some level of positivity and hope will benefit everyone around you. And, let’s face it, it’s required for us to dig out of where the world seems to be.
Do this: Be a light for others.
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2. “We are quick to take things for granted”
How to Be Thankful for Your Life with One Simple Reset – Lawrence Yeo – (More to That blog)
I don’t normally do repeats, but this crossed my inbox again this week, for obvious reasons, and I thought it worth reflecting on again. Yeo presents a thought exercise to help us step out of the daily routine and realize how much we have to be grateful for.
Imagine if everything you had was inexplicably stripped out from underneath you. Your family, your friends, your health, everything.
Everything. It’s kinda sobering, but effective at making us realize just what “everything” really entails.
Do this: Be thankful, and not just once a year.
3. “That’s how I became the crazy one.”
Do our stories matter? – lyz – (Men Yell at Me)
This story is a heartbreaking definition of the term “gaslighting”. The author describes her relationship with her (now ex) husband, and the steps he took to truly make her doubt herself.
But this isn’t about that. It’s about how she found refuge, in part, in writing.
This is why words matter — because they create a record of memory. They create a plurality of voices. They matter because sometimes you wake up on your 35th birthday on a deflating air mattress, in a room of a house that is no longer your home, with your two kids next to you, your back aching, an email in your inbox telling you that you are a terrible mother, and no money — every dream you had for yourself gone, but you think, at least I have these words. At least I still have this voice.
Writing can be many, many things. An outlet, a record, therapy, and more.
Do this: Write.
4. “The future potential for A.I. assisted learning is incredible.”
Humans Are About to Learn Like Never Before – David Cain – (Raptitude)
Before you object, know two things: first, yes, AI can be clunky, and factually incorrect (not unlike humans), and second, it’s only getting better from here.
The primary jumping off point is this:
Far more learning could happen in this world if more people could remain interested and attentive to what’s being said.
Having a “conversation” with AI about a topic you’re interested in, and specifically those aspects that interest or confuse you, could make things much more interesting that sitting through lectures or reading material about things you know, things that are boring, or things that simply don’t matter to you. AI lets you focus on what you care about.
Is it a complete education? Of course not. It’s another tool, and one that has significant potential to help people learn on their own terms.
Do this: Learn.
5. “Gratefulness and appreciation for others stimulates optimism”
The Optimism in Gratefulness – (Admired Leadership Field Notes)
As the source implies, this piece is primarily about leadership and the benefits of optimistic leadership. Spoiler: people are happier working for an optimistic leader.
Simply stated, optimistic leaders boost morale and foster a climate of collaboration that benefits the team.
My take is that it applies to everyone, not just leaders.
What I liked, though, was the interplay between gratefulness and optimism.
Leaders who are intentional in their practice of expressing appreciation and gratefulness for others develop a more optimistic outlook.
Again, this is something that applies to more than just those in leadership positions. Expressing gratitude, towards whatever makes feel it, helps you notice those things, and increases your sense of optimism.
Do this: Be grateful
6. “Stop consuming what everyone else is consuming”
The Sisyphus Treadmill: Why we keep falling for rehashed ideas – Darius Foroux – (Blog)
This is another essay targeted at budding business people and entrepreneurs. And it’s another case where I believe the concepts presented are just as valuable outside of that context.
Much of the content we consume is the same content, just rehashed and presented in slightly different ways.
The allure of rehashed ideas is undeniable. Familiar content feels safe, validates our beliefs, and occasionally surprises us with a clever twist.
Sound like your social media feed? Sound like wherever you get your “news” from? Sound like the groups you’re a member of? The list of places where this applies is long.
While Foroux goes into more detail, for most us the antidote is simple: make the effort to step outside of your information bubble.
Do this: Focus on quality and novelty, not comfort and familiarity.
7. “When everyone’s watching, no one is really themselves.”
The Observer Effect and Social Media – How Constant Observation Warps Us All – Joan Westenberg – (@Westenberg)
In a way, this is nothing new, other than that it’s been scaled massively. Not only do we filter our public-facing identities, but doing so changes our very behavior.
When you know you’re being watched, you become self-conscious. You tweak your behavior, even if you think you don’t. Multiply that by the millions of strangers who can casually glance into your life, and it’s no wonder we’re all spinning into weird, contorted versions of ourselves.
Like I said, it’s not new. We all filter ourselves when we’re being watched. So what happens when we’re being watched all the time?
Do this: I would say “be authentically you”, but you probably believe you already are. So I’ll just say: watch your behavior.
#observer-effect #social-media
Random links
- What To Use Instead of PGP – Very geeky, but for those of a mind, it’s very interesting.
- Is Coffee Good For You? Is Coffee Bad For You? – If I’m sharing it, you can guess the answer.
- BlueSky firehose in 3D.
What I’m reading
In progress:
- Gator Bait – Jana DeLeon
- Meditations for Mortals – Oliver Burkeman
- The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century – Steven Pinker (audio)
Daily:
- A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Selected from the World’s Sacred Texts – Leo Tolstoy
A full list of my common sources is on the sources page, and I list the books I’ve read on my Reading List page.
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-Leo
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