Construct your identity as a learner to be anti-fragile, valuing your willingness to admit when you’re wrong and to learn, which makes you more powerful over time.
When criticized, ask ‘What am I doing wrong?’ or ‘In what way am I dumb?’ to extract valuable information for growth. View criticism as gold nuggets or bricks that can be used to build yourself up, rather than deflecting them.
Develop the wherewithal to sit with uncomfortable feelings and fear impulses, understanding that emotions are in flux and will pass. Willingly embrace discomfort to become more resilient, feel more alive, and connect deeper with yourself and others.
Actively go out of your way to find moments of stillness and quiet. Create boundaries around technology and expectations of constant communication to carve out space for reflection and prevent distraction-driven unhealthy behaviors.
Stop holding back and put fear aside to live the life you truly want, rather than performing a life based on what you think others value or expect. Regularly self-reflect by asking if you are performing at life or genuinely living it.
Turn down the performative nature of showing up by letting go of the need to add something or achieve another level of perfectionism. Instead, uncurl your hands, trust yourself more, and be brave in letting go of expectations.
Actively practice breathing to bring yourself back to the present moment and stop physiological stress responses. Gain control over your breath as a ‘hack’ or ‘shield’ to manage overwhelming external stimuli and improve mental and physical health.
Consciously slow down and incorporate moments of quiet reflection and breathing into your day. Cultivate contentment with life as it is now, even while pursuing future goals, rather than perpetually waiting for happiness to arrive in the future.
Create dedicated space to feel and reflect on emotions, especially during times of change or loss, rather than using busyness as an anesthetic. Allow for both ’loss orientation’ (feeling emotions) and ‘restoration orientation’ (engaging in enjoyable distractions) by oscillating between them with awareness.
If you engage in compulsive eating, keep a food journal to track what happened emotionally that day, helping you identify unconscious drives to change your emotional state.
Encourage yourself to see more friends as a way of changing the way you feel and improving your overall emotional state.
Actively push yourself out of your comfort zone to foster personal growth and development.