Sometimes you have to identify the source of your pain points. I thought things needed to go faster, derailing my intention to generate calm.

Thought work is a self-reflection practice used to understand a past choice better or set an intention for a different option. Thought work isn’t the same as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) but shares a core philosophy - how we think affects our actions. 

My excitement about the quarter got bullied by “this need to move faster” thoughts. 

A few things helped me realign with my goal of calm.

Reflect instead of rush. 

A walking meditation helped me slow down my thoughts and pinpoint that I was obsessed with the pace of my progress. 

Output isn’t a moral high ground. The book In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré helped me understand that I use my output to validate my “goodness” when what I want to do is verify whether I’m still on track.

“Says Who?” is a powerful self-check. Going along with “they-say-so” sources isn’t enough. We need to ask if the information is based on knowledge, from a trustworthy source, and is helpful.

It’s time to bench the shaming gurus. 

Social and entertainment media love the transformation story of an authority figure yelling people into self-improvement. But it’s possible to adopt a striver mindset where learning and iterating and not perfection is the norm.

Authenticity weeds out wooden nickels. 

The expression “don’t take any wooden nickels” is a warning not to get conned and a reminder to be careful. Measuring our “yeses” and “nos” by what’s good for us helps us align with our authentic selves. Now that’s what’s up