#001. Getting Over Myself
Using Gratitude, Personal Knowledge Management, and Shame Resilience to Put Myself Out There
Hi friends, family, and extended internet family!
As I sit here rewriting this paragraph for the seventh time, it occurred to me that I'm doing that that THING again… the same thing which is why I still don't have a blog after 5 years of talking about it. I’m always trying to find the right word, the right tone, and the right things to say when I write, this perpetual dissatisfaction leading to procrastination is one way perfectionism shows up in my life.
This time, I see it! And by golly I'm going to fulfill on my promise of getting this first newsletter out with at least 3 subscribers by July 31st or else! So here it is, I did it! And it's good enough for me, for now.
Here's what I learned, shared, and paid attention to this week:
ONE CHALLENGE I’M UNDERTAKING:
This. Specifically, curating 25 issues of a weekly newsletter with some original pieces. Five years ago, this seemed a lot harder. But with many ordinary people finding internet success and sharing how, it's not as overwhelming. Now that I’ve set my mind on starting this newsletter, it’s pretty straightforward to follow the guideposts written by other writers like Roxine Kee and Khe Hy. My hope at the end of 25 issues is two-fold:
I'll have more clarity on where to take this writing thing.
I'll know what my written voice sounds like.
ONE THING I'M GRATEFUL FOR:
If there's a secret to being happy, this might be it. In Brene Brown's book, Daring Greatly, she mentions how the happiest people aren't those who have the "attitude of gratitude" but those who have the practice of gratitude. I don't have a regular gratitude practice like saying Grace before dinner or gratitude journaling, but I’d like to build one into this newsletter. This week, I am grateful for the research of Brene Brown on vulnerability and shame. It's helped me identify how shame shows up in my life - usually as anger, defensiveness, withdrawal. And in that first step of awareness, I feel empowered to become more shame-resilient.
ONE THING I DID TO CREATE HEALTH:
When I think of "health", the first thing that comes to mind is NOT "How do I take better notes?" But since taking the Building a Second Brain course, I've transformed my relationship with the information to the point where I am more organized, productive, and even well-rested. As a result, my mental health got a big boost.
Using a Personal Knowledge Management system to manage the information you consume (podcasts, articles, memes, tweets, ebooks, PDFs, images, emails, YouTube videos, etc) is like having a investment account for your brain. You can make your past work for your future. My many notebooks and journals may have worked in the Pre-Internet Age, but was seriously lacking in our current Information Abundance Age (ahem, aka information overload age). It’s nice to turn off this mental engine once in a while, and even have the luxury of forgetting. It’s been a game changer for me!
ONE THING I'M WONDERING:
How do I create a cardboard cat fort that my cat will love? Considering that Mr. Squeaks Hamilton Purrbox chose to doze off on this stinky old reusable grocery bag instead of any of the five different fluffy cat beds in the house, this might be a question in vain. But I would KILL for this guy, so what’s a few little paper cuts?
That’s it for now. At this point, I know ALL of you, so thanks for your love and support!
Want to hear more about something? Have something to say?
Let me know! I read all your responses.
Until next time - have a happy healthy journey,
Maymie